The Muggleborn Slytherin: Of Monsters and Men
by bcsbookworm
Summary: Aria is plunged into intrigue and adventure when Harry arrives at Spinner's End beaten and bruised. Her quest for answers only lead to more questions, stranger circumstances, and new alliances. Thus begins Aria Bourne's second year of Hogwarts as the Muggleborn Slytherin.
1. Obliviate

**Thank you all for those of you following me to this second story, and following Aria Bourne into her second year at Hogwarts.**

 **If this is your first time getting into The Muggleborn Slytherin series, it might be best if you go and read** ** _The Muggleborn Slytherin_** **which precedes this particular story.**

 **Again, I don't own Harry Potter, and I make nothing more than satisfaction from this story. If you're going to review, constructive criticism is wonderful and encouraged, flames are not encouraged and I delete them.**

Aria whistled as she made her way down the main street of Cokesworth, pulling a small wooden wagon behind her filled with paper bags. She stopped at the newsstand, handed Mr. Larson one of the paper bags, and received ten pounds in return. Walking further up the street she parked her wagon outside one of the charity clothing shops and entered with four bags, returning to her wagon with over forty pounds.

Her last stop was the high-end boutique where Melinda had her apprenticeship. She moved off the main street and went around to the back entrance which led her through the back storage room filled with racks of clothes, to the staff room. As it was her last stop she could afford to sit and wait for a minute.

After five minutes Melinda entered.

"Thanks for lunch," she said to Aria, handed the now twelve-year-old fifteen pounds. Aria pushed one of the remaining paper bags towards Melinda.

"Is that lunch I smell?" the owner of the shop, Gloria Keetering, asked. She entered the room, her tall heels clipping against the floor, the dozens of bangles on both her arms jangling loudly. "Good afternoon, Aria."

"Afternoon, Ms. Keetering."

"How much do I owe again?"

"Twenty pounds. It was fifteen for the food, then my delivery charge."

"Of course." Aria pushed Keetering's lunch at her, along with the receipt. Ms. Keetering always wanted to see the receipt. Aria had been offended at first, but Melinda assured her that Ms. Keetering liked to see the receipts for everything concerning the shop.

With Keetering's money now in hand, Aria exited the shop and pulled her wagon to the front of the store to stare at the new dresses on the mannequins out front. Dresses weren't something she wore all the time, mainly because they inconveniently rode up at the worst possible moments, plus she had to wear skirts enough at school; yet she couldn't deny how beautiful the knee length dresses were, just tantalizingly short enough to be interesting, yet long enough to be considered modest.

Ms. Keetering was teaching Melinda how to make the clothes too. The shop, Keetering's, sold high end London fashion, but also sold Gloria K, the clothing brand of the store. Which, according to Melinda, was also sold in all the big cities.

Even with her new summer business, Aria would never be able to afford one of the dresses in the window. Either way, this lunch and delivery business was just to ensure she had enough money outside of her scholarship to survive the school year.

Taking the handle of her wagon, Aria started back the way she'd come. Coming upon Mr. Larson's newsstand again, shock filled her. Standing with Mr. Larson, asking for directions, was a familiar boy with glasses and an unruly mop of black hair.

Though the school trunk and empty bird cage were also clues.

"Harry?" Aria cried. Harry turned to Aria, relief flooding his face while anxiety filled Aria's. Harry sported several bruises on his face. His right eye was almost swollen shut.

"What in Merlin's name happened to you?" Aria demanded, feeling her magic itch at her skin for the first time all summer. She struggled mentally to keep it at bay. There was no danger. She wasn't in danger.

"I need to speak with Professor Snape," Harry answered.

"How'd you get here?" Aria asked.

"By train," Harry answered. "I knicked money from my uncle. I need to speak with Professor Snape."

"Yeah. Okay." Aria helped Harry load his bird cage and trunk into her wagon. Mr. Larson grabbed Aria's shoulder.

"Are you two going to be all right?" he asked.

"Professor Snape will be able to help us," Aria insisted. "Harry goes to the school I go to." Mr. Larson nodded, releasing Aria, though his face still sported a deep frown of concern. The two began walking, side by side. Aria noted a slight limp to Harry's walk.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah." Aria frowned at Harry.

"Harry. I can see you're not fine. Who beat you up?"

Harry ducked his head. The fear in Aria's stomach intensified. Who could have done this to him? They'd only bee out of school three weeks!

She led him over a bridge and down Spinner's End. Several younger children were playing soccer in the street, but paused to point at Harry.

"Stop gawking!" Aria snapped at them. "You aren't raised in a barn."

The children scampered back to their games. Aria yanked her wagon to Professor Snape's house. She had seen him the other say over the back fence in his garden of potion ingredients that looked similar to Muggle plants. It had amused her, thinking about all the magical plants that Professor Snape could plant, confusing the Muggles and possibly getting in trouble with the government.

Knocking the first time yielded no Professor Snape. A second, more insistent pounding on Aria's part, brought the dour man to the front door. He threw the door open.

"What do you want?" he demanded, teeth snapping. He wasn't half as intimidating without his teaching robes billowing behind him, Aria mused.

"Harry needs you," she stated.

"Why does Potter need me?"

"I don't know. Ask him yourself." Aria pulled Harry forward. Professor Snape took one look at Harry's face before he was cursing and ushering the two into his house, taking a moment to grab the trunk and birdcage. In the house Snape set the trunk and cage in the front hallway before ordering the two into the living room.

Every wall was a book shelf crammed with books. And there were still books on the floor, stacked several feet high in some places. Snape crossed to a cabinet which he unlocked with a wave of his wand. Pulling out several jars, Snape remained silent. Aria saw his jaw twitch several times.

"Sit, Potter," Snape ordered, pointing to a hardback chair. Harry sat, wincing as he did so, making Snape growl.

"Who did this to you?" Professor Snape demanded. Harry rung his fingers. "Would you prefer Miss Bourne to step out of the room?"

"No!" Harry cried. "I mean . . . yes and no. I don't know." Aria settled into the comfy winged back chair in front of the fireplace, turning her attention to the few pictures on the mantel that hadn't been replaced by piles of books. There was a round portrait of a woman with a long face like the professor's, but a nose much smaller but no less Roman in look. Her hair was dark, and was probably black, but as the portrait was black and white, Aria could only guess.

There were two other pictures. One, of a small dark haired boy and a red haired girl dressed in Hogwarts uniforms inside a distinctly Muggle living room, and another that moved, proving to be of the wizarding variety. Aria easily recognized a younger Professor Snape in the photo, hair combed neatly back into a low ponytail, dressed in black wizarding dress robes. He stood on one end of a happy couple, and another woman that Aria recognized as a younger Mrs. Greengrass finished off the photo.

Peering closer to the two in the middle, Aria's eyes widened as she realized that the man next to Professor Snape was Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, and whom she'd met only briefly at Diagon Alley when Professor Snape had taken her school shopping. That meant the woman in white feminine dress robes could only be Draco's mother, whom she had yet to meet.

Mrs. Malfoy was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as her own mother.

She turned back to Professor Snape and Harry. The professor had covered Harry's face with an off-white crème that was soaking into his skin.

"Do you have other injuries," Snape asked Harry, his voice just a bit softer, but no less business like. Harry nodded, misery all over his face.

"I will need to see them," Snape said. "But you will apply the crème yourself. The bathroom's this way." The two disappeared out of the living room, the professor returning after a minute.

"Out of my chair," he ordered Aria. She hopped out and watched him sink into the cushions. She settled on top of a pile of large books each the size of an encyclopedia. Propping her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands, she stared at Professor Snape while he stared into the cold unlit fireplace.

"Who's the red head?" Aria asked. She felt like she should know, but the name wasn't coming. Professor Snape looked at her, then at the mantle.

"That's Lily Evans," he murmured. "Long before she became Lily Potter. Her mother took that picture of us the day before we left for our first year."

Harry shuffled back into the room, reclaiming his seat on the chair.

"I would appreciate it if you were to tell me where you got your injuries, Mr. Potter," Snape said. "It'll be much easier to get you out of whatever terrible situation you find yourself in. Unless, of course, you simply got into a fist fight and ran away from home, which seems rather unlike you."

Harry bowed his head, playing with his fingers again.

"Again, I ask, would you prefer if Aria wasn't here?" Professor Snape asked.

"She can stay," Harry muttered.

"You sure?" Aria asked. "I won't be upset if you ask me to leave." More like disappointed.

"I want you to stay." Harry finally lifted his head to look between his friend and professor. "It was my u-uncle, Professor." Aria heard Harry gulp. "Uncle V-Vernon. Sometimes he gets mad, or drunk, or both and this . . . happens."

"I take it then this is not the first time," Snape murmured.

"No, sir."

"Does your uncle ever hit your aunt or cousin? I recall you having both."

"No. Aunt Petunia once told Uncle Vernon that if he ever raised a hand to her or Dudley while he was sober or drunk she'd leave him and take Dudley faster than his head could spin." The fact that his aunt hadn't included Harry made Aria's stomach clench painfully and she blinked rapidly. The whole situation reminded her of Luke Twine who'd been a year ahead of her at school and had lived across the road. His dad had been a mean drunk and one day his mum and he left, him and her both sporting busted up faces. After that Mr. Twine had left too, but rumor had it Mr. Twine had no idea where his wife or son were.

"I will be contacting the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Snape told Harry. "They have a division that specifically handles child abuse cases."

"Abuse?" Harry questioned, grimacing.

"Yes, Potter. _Abuse_. That's what has happened to you. You've been abused. The sooner you come to terms with that, the sooner and easier it'll be for you to overcome it." Snape rose from his seat.

"There's an empty bedroom upstairs, second door to your left. You'll at least be spending the night. Aria, help him get his trunk and owl upstairs."

"What will happen to me?" Harry asked, not moving from his seat.

"You'll be staying with me until further notice. There are perks to being a Hogwarts Head of House. But, as in many other cases, your parents' Will shall be checked for further instructions as to your care. Most families have a list of guardians for their children, I'm certain your family, being old and elite, has a long list of potential candidates."

Aria grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him out of the living room to the hallway where she grabbed his trunk and he grabbed Hedwig who'd decided taking a nap was the best thing to do. Together they mounted the stairs to the second floor and found the empty bedroom.

The room was small with a single bed, a small desk, and a wardrobe. One window looked out towards Aria's house and her bedroom window, and the other window looked out over the garden.

"It's nice," Harry murmured. "Much better than Dudley's second bedroom."

"Second bedroom?" Aria asked.

"Yeah. My Hogwarts letter was addressed to The Cupboard Under the Stairs which is where I slept until then. Afterwards, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon thought we were being watched and moved me to Dudley's second bedroom. It has all his broken and unwanted toys in it."

"Your cousin sounds ghastly."

"Don't I know it." Harry eyed Aria. "You aren't . . . disgusted with me?"

"No. Should I be?"

Harry shook his head, opening Hedwig's cage and poking her until she awoke. She a hoot of delight she sailed out of the cage and perched on the footboard of the bed.

"I'm a bit tired," Harry said.

"All right. I'll get going. Come get me next door if you want to do anything."

Aria slipped out of the room, making it to the top of the stairs when she heard,

"Headmaster, what a surprise."

"Indeed, Severus. I didn't expect to come here today, but plans do change."

"Is there anything specific I can help you with? I was planning on brewing." Aria could hear the irritation in Snape's voice. She crouched at the top of the stairs, hoping that she could hear better from that angle.

"It seems that Mr. Potter has disappeared from his relatives homes, Severus. As his Head of House, I was wondering if you'd heard from him."

"I was actually about to Floo Amelia Bones," Snape responded. "Mr. Potter came to me with alarming injuries from his uncle."

"Surely not. His uncle told me that Harry got into a fight with his cousin and ran off afterwards."

"Headmaster, these injuries are not consistent to a mere schoolboy fight. I've broken up enough of those to know the difference. If you wish you can wait here while I call Amelia."

"Very well. And where is Mr. Potter now?"

"Hopefully resting."

There was the sound of feet moving then Aria heard Dumbledore shout,

" _Obliviate_!"

Immediately there was a heavy thud as if someone had fallen over. Aria hurried back to Harry as quickly and as quietly as possible.

"Headmaster Dumbledore's here looking for you!" she whispered to Harry, locking the door behind her.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, but he shouted some sort of spell. He said your uncle told him that your cousin and you had gotten into a fight."

"Harry, my boy. Are you here?"

"He doesn't know you're here," Harry whispered. "Quick, get into the wardrobe."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Don't be daft, Aria. _If_ he did something wrong, better he doesn't do it to you either." Aria huffed but climbed into the wardrobe. She pulled the door almost all the way shut, leaving enough of a slit between the doors to look through. Harry unlocked the door, opening it.

"Headmaster Dumbledore?" Harry questioned, stepping back to allow the old man into the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Your relatives were worried and contacted me about you running off. You shouldn't do foolish things like that, Harry."

"I had to get away, sir. Uncle Vernon hurt me."

"Now, now, Harry. You look perfectly fine to me."

"That's because Professor Snape healed me with some potions."

"Well he's off to run some errands now, and I'm here to take you back to your relatives."

"No!" Harry backed up. "Headmaster, please!"

Headmaster Dumbledore merely flicked his wand, shrinking Harry's trunk and owl cage. He pocketed these, even as Hedwig hooted angrily at him.

"I'm sure Hedwig will be able to find her way home," Dumbledore said, taking Harry by the arm.

"Headmaster, please, you don't understand. Professor Snape said he was going to get the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and that I wouldn't have to return to my relatives. Uncle Vernon hurts me."

"Harry, there's no need for you to go on so. Professor Snape will be doing no such thing, I've already spoken with him about your exaggeration. Professor Snape is very protective of his snakes, of which I applaud him, but he's always so quick to jump to conclusions."

"No, Headmaster—,"

With a deafening _crack_ the two disappeared. Aria stared at the spot where they had been standing before stumbling out of the wardrobe. Hedwig hooted at her, gliding over to rest on her shoulder.

Hurrying downstairs as fast as she could with an owl on her shoulder, Aria skidded to a stop in the living room to find Professor Snape fast asleep in his chair.

Should she wake him? What was the spell Dumbledore had used?

Uncertainty made her feel sick.

Spinning on her heel she left the house, grabbed her wagon from the front steps, and went home, settling Hedwig on her bed's footboard. She grabbed some lined paper, a pen, and began to write.


	2. Off to Privet Drive

**I do not own Harry Potter!**

"Percy! You've got a letter!" Mrs. Weasley's voice carried up the stairs from the kitchen to Percy's bedroom. His door and windows open to allow cool air to blow through, Percy glanced up from Ron's potions book while Ron glanced up from his potions essay.

"You're getting a lot of mail," Ron said. "Do you have a girlfriend?" Percy's ears turned pink and Ron laughed. "You do!"

"Do not," Percy muttered, getting off his bed.

"I wish my friends would write," Ron continued, following his brother.

"Why don't you write to them?" Percy asked.

"I wouldn't know what to say," Ron answered. "It's much better if I'm replying."

They entered the kitchen to find a snowy owl blinking at them from the table. Fred and George were already petting the bird, much to its delight.

"Why is Hedwig carrying Percy a letter?" Fred asked.

"Maybe Harry wants help with his homework," George suggested. "Much like our dear little Ronnikins."

"Don't call me that!"

"Don't call your brother that," Mrs. Weasley scolded, hitting the twins on the back of the head with a dish towel. "And Harry can write to whomever he wants."

Percy took the letter from Hedwig, breaking the Muggle seal and opening the paper.

"It's from Aria," Percy said. "She says she's looking after Hedwig for a while."

"What else does she say?" Ron asked.

"To mind your own business," Percy answered. Ron scowled. "She does say to tell you Hi so 'Hi.'"

"You're very popular this summer, Percy," Fred said with an air of suspicion. "Should we be waiting with baited breath for an announcement?"

"No!" Percy cried. "Mind your own business."

Another owl flapped through the kitchen window, a severe looking Great Horned Owl. It glared at everyone before holding its foot out to Ron. Gleefully Ron took the letter.

"It's from Theo!" Ron cried. "Mum, he wants to know if I can come over sometime this week to play chess."

"That sounds exciting," Mrs. Weasley answered with a smile. "Who is Theo again?"

"Yeah, chess," George drawled. "Super exciting." His mum hit him with the dish towel again.

"Theo Nott," Ron answered. Mrs. Weasley's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Theo Nott," Ron answered. "He's in my year and house. He wants to know if I can go over to his home and play chess this week."

Mrs. Weasley straightened her back.

"Absolutely not!" she cried, her voice so loud, her four sons jumped. "I will not be having you going over to Duran Hill, and neither will your father. If Theo wants to play chess he will come to the Burrow. His father will have to deal with that."

Ron blinked owlishly at his mum.

"Um . . . can I quote you on that?" he asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley answered. She turned to the sink and began washing the lunch dishes by hand instead of magic. Immediately the Weasley boys knew she was very upset and evacuated the kitchen as quickly as possible, the two owls following Ron and Percy back to Percy's room.

"What did Aria want?" Ron asked as he and Percy shoved his summer homework to the side.

"She came across a spell while reading and wanted to know what it was," Percy answered.

"What spell?"

"Obliviate. It's a Memory Charm, but you don't actually learn how to do it until seventh year. I've read it's very complicated. Dad works closely with the Ministry's Obliviators."

* * *

Excitement filled Aria as Hedwig returned during dinner. Kenneth raised an eyebrow at the bird who perched on the back of his chair after delivering the letter to Aria.

"Feed her, Dad," Aria instructed.

"Why should I?"

"Because Hedwig's a good bird and she'll glare at you if you don't." Kenneth held out some of the pork on his plate which Hedwig gobbled up. She gave a loud screech of triumph before flapping off into the living room.

"Who's the letter from?"

"Percy. I asked him for help on my homework." Aria kind of felt bad lying to her dad, but wasn't entirely sure he would understand. She wasn't sure she understood completely.

 _Dear Aria,_

 _I don't know what sort of books you're reading, but they must be rather advance for you to have stumbled upon Obliviate. It's a seventh year NEWT spell, and even then I don't think Flitwik teaches it to just anybody._

 _Obliviate is a Memory Charm. We wizards and witches use it to erase memories in small amounts. The Ministry of Magic employs several dozen Obliviators in case Muggles see something they aren't supposed to, like dragons or people disappearing into a wall at King's Cross._

 _My understanding from my own knowledge, is that Obliviate is a complicated spell. If you aren't well versed magically or if you get the wrong wand movements or you put too much force behind it or too little, the spell can easily go wrong. Too much force, I've read, and you can accidentally wipe out more memory than you want. Too little force and your Obliviate might break later on. It's not an illegal charm by any means, but I believe it's highly frowned upon to use it on people, and you can get in trouble with the law if you use it. Like, if I Obliviated you and you found out then you could press charges against me. I don't know if an Obliviate can be removed or not._

 _I hope that answered your question. Again, it's a pretty advanced spell, so I hope you don't go about practicing once you're back at Hogwarts. We wouldn't want it to backfire and hit you._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Percy_

Aria folded up the parchment.

"Something wrong?" Kenneth asked, finishing off his beer.

"No," Aria answered. "Do you want something to be wrong?"

"No!"

Aria settled in her room after dinner, laying on her bed staring at the ceiling, mulling over the problems. Why wasn't the Obliviate spell illegal outside of the Obliviator job? The wizarding world was strange. Either way, Dumbledore could get in trouble if it was discovered he'd used it on Professor Snape.

But the headmaster was a powerful wizard, both magically and politically, if the talks in the Slytherin common room were to be believed. Order of Merlin First Class (whatever that meant), Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards (again, whatever that was); and defeater of Grindelwald.

She really needed to do some more reading about the wizarding world.

But how to proceed?

First she needed to make sure that Harry was rescued. Who knows what horrors his uncle was committing this moment? Very well then, her choices had to reflect that goal. Get Harry to safety.

First, she would need to find out if an Obliviate could be broken. She would have to go to Professor Snape for that information.

Right. She glanced at her alarm clock. It was only 7:30 and the sun was hardly beginning to set. She scrambled off her bed, tugging on her sneakers while hopping down the hallway.

"Dad!" she called. "I'm going out."

"Where?" Kenneth called, sticking his head out of the living room.

"Professor Snape's house."

"Why?"

"I need to ask him a question." Aria stumbled out of the front door with her shoelaces still untied, forgoing the sidewalk and jumping the fence between the two pitiful excuses for front yards. She began banging on the front door.

"Professor!" she shouted. "I need to talk to you! Professor!"

Professor Snape swung the door open with the fiercest scowl on his face. His face was even beginning to change color, which was a phenomenon in itself.

"What do you want, girl?" he all but shouted. "It's late."

"It's not that late," Aria said, stepping under Snape's arm and into his house. "I have to speak with you. It's important. I wouldn't be here just for tea, though that would be lovely." She yelped as Snape grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"For starters, you can let go of my shoulder, 'cause you're hurting me."

Snape released her faster than she could blink. He slammed the door, wincing as he did so, like he had a headache.

"Do you have a headache?" she asked. Professor Snape growled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yes," he snapped. "I do. And my strongest Headache Relief Potion hasn't gotten rid of it, so if you could make this quick?"

Aria frowned. How to phrase this delicately? Thinking back to the letter from Percy, she suddenly wondered if Obliviate could cause headaches.

"Can the Obliviate spell cause headaches?" she asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I said—,"

"I heard you the first time, Aria. Why would you ask such a thing? How do you even know about that particular spell?"

"So it does cause headaches?"

"It can if the caster was in a hurry and wasn't careful. It can also happen if the person being obliviated has strong mental shields. I expect if anyone tried to Obliviate you, you'd have a headache, based off that performance in the headmaster's office."

"Someone obliviated you," Aria stated. Professor Snape sighed heavily. "No, listen to me, Professor. Earlier today, around lunch, Harry appeared with his trunk and Hedwig. He was beaten something awful and you healed him and said you'd contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and that he could stay here until everything was sorted because he told you and me that it was his uncle who'd beaten him. Harry and I were upstairs and I was about to leave when I heard you speaking with Dumbledore and I heard him shout ' _Obliviate_ ' after talking with you for a moment and I hid because Harry told me to and then Dumbledore came and took him back to his relatives. I found you sleeping in your armchair but I wasn't sure what had happened so I wrote to Percy asking what the spell was—,"

"You told Percy Weasley what had happened?"

"No, only that I had read about this spell in a book and could he tell me what it was."

Aria went and plopped down in the armchair. Snape glared at her.

"So you're telling me that the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry obliviated me and took Mr. Potter back to abusive relatives?" Snape questioned.

"Basically, yes."

"How did he know Potter was here?"

"Well . . . from what I remember of your conversation . . . he didn't say. You seemed confused about it too. But you told him about the situation and how you were going to contact the authorities and then he obliviated you."

"Aria, I do not have time for such tales today. My head hurts and I wish for you to leave."

"You _have_ to believe me, sir! Harry's going to get hurt again if you don't."

Snape groaned, scrubbing his face. He must really be in pain.

"I appreciate your concern, Miss Bourne, but I must insist you leave."

Aria scowled, got up, and stomped to the door.

"If Harry gets hurt because you won't take the word of a twelve year old, then on your head be it!" she called over her shoulder, being sure to leave the front door open on her way. Satisfaction filled her as Snape was forced to follow her to close the door.

Aria tossed and turned all night. How was Harry doing? What if Snape didn't believe her? Who else could she confide in? Her dad would just call Child Services, but then that would be a mess because somehow Harry would still have to get to Hogwarts—or Dumbledore would just come and make the Muggles forget about getting Harry out of the awful house.

She was twelve years old!

In the morning Aria slumped against the kitchen table, almost falling asleep into her cereal. Thankfully her dad was gone and she didn't have to answer any awkward questions. As the morning wore on she half hoped for a visit from Professor Snape admitting that she was right, but by the time she left to get orders for her lunch-delivery business, the man hadn't shown himself.

"You look a bit down, young lady," Mr. Larson asked, handing her his order on a piece of paper. "Everything all right with your friend?"

"No!" Aria cried, hating herself for how much her voice hitched and sounded like a squeak toy. "Professor Snape did all he was supposed to, but last night Harry was taken back to his rotten family, the ones who gave him those bruises!"

"You're joking!"

Aria shook her head.

"I'm sorry your friend's got the short end of the stick, Aria. He seemed like a pleasant lad. Called me sir and everything."

"He's one of the nicest people I know," Aria declared. "It's not fair."

"Life isn't always fair, girl. You've got to learn how to use that unfairness to your advantage, and then use those advantages to make sure no one else has it unfair. That's why my mum use to say, and she knew all about life being unfair. She was a Catholic, unwed mother at fifteen. Her parents sent her off to one of those laundries near Dublin where I was born and raised for five years. I almost got adopted, but my mum found a way to escape with me and came to England."

"How'd she make sure others weren't treated unfairly?" Aria asked.

"Well, she was still staunchly Catholic. And she told our priest that she would house any unwed mothers that came into the parish. Thankfully the priest in this town at the time was more Jesus like than the ones my mum grew up with and was more than willing to give the girls a safe home for them and their babies."

"That's good. But I still don't see how I'm gonna help Harry."

"You might have to bide your time, just like my mum."

Aria continued down the street.

Finally, when all the lunch orders had been taken and delivered, and she had her money in hand, Aria decided upon a more Gryffindor approach. She ran home and pulled out the Muggle addresses of Harry and Hermione (and the number Hermione had kindly added), then grabbed some of her already saved cash (just in case she needed more) and went to the train station where, using the pay phone, called Hermione.

"Hermione, it's Aria," she said.

"Aria! How are you?"

"I'm on my way to Surry. I'll tell you when we meet."

"Wait, what?"

"I'm on my way to Surry. You live in London. Can you get to the Surry train station?"

"Uh, yeah, I can. Why?"

"I'll explain when I meet you. My train comes in at three in the afternoon. Can you get there by then?"

"Y-yeah. Aria . . . ."

"I'll explain when we meet up. See you in two hours."

Aria hung up the phone, paid for her ticket, and hopped on the train., feeling very much like a Gryffindor and knew that if her dad ever found out that she was buying train tickets and going across the country without telling him, he would contain her to their street for the rest of the summer.


	3. Privet Drive

**I do not own Harry Potter. The only one of my creation is Aria Bourne.**

The train rolled in on time. Aria hopped off and was pleased to find Hermione already waiting for her on a bench. The Gryffindor's hair was just as bushy as ever, however she was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, as Muggle as Aria had ever seen her. Hermione crossed her arms, leveling Aria with a steely glare as she approached.

"What is happening?" she demanded.

"Much," Aria said. "Harry's probably going to kill me for telling you, but I need help."

"What about Professor Snape?"

Aria explained all that had occurred yesterday. Hermione's eyes widened until Aria was certain she'd have to catch the girl's eyeballs when they popped out of their sockets.

"If you weren't telling me this, I almost wouldn't believe it," Hermione cried. "But I don't think you'd lie about something this big to me."

"So you think I would lie to you?"

"Hopefully not to _me_. But I know you can lie and lie well."

"Well . . . I don't know what to say to that."

The two paused at a map just outside the station. Once they found Privet Drive on the map, they started off.

"So do you have a plan?" Hermione asked. "Aren't Slytherins meant to have plans?"

"Yes," Aria stated. "And yes. Basically my plan is to make sure Harry's alive and somehow convince the Dursleys not to hurt him anymore."

"Don't you think Dumbledore would have said something to them? I mean, just to make sure Harry won't run off again?"

"I'm not putting my faith in Dumbledore, Hermione. That ship never sailed. Now, remember, if anyone asks we go to a special school for the gifted in Scotland."

"I know," Hermione answered, still not sounding entirely convinced about Aria's plan. "We had to explain why I wasn't going to the local secondary school."

Privet Drive seemed like something out of a terrible suburban movie because all the houses were the same. The only differences were how people kept their front lawns, the fences in front of the homes, and the numbers on the doors.

"Wow," Aria muttered. "Upper middleclass am I right?"

"You're probably not too far off," Hermione answered. "At least my neighborhood has houses you can tell apart."

Counting the houses they paused in front of the unfenced lawn of Number 4 where a shiny black car sat proudly in the driveway. A black haired figure knelt over the flowerbeds under one of the windows. Aria skipped across the neatly cut grass and plopped down beside Harry, facing the street. He blinked at her, mouth dropping open. Hermione followed and sat on Harry's other side.

"Don't look me at me like that," Hermione said when Harry turned her way. "This was all Aria's idea."

"I had to make sure you were all right," Aria said. "And I didn't want to go alone. I'm sorry if I broke your trust."

Harry's face turned to a frown as her words sunk in and he yanked ruthlessly at several weeds.

"I figured out what that spell I heard was," Aria said. "Obliviate."

"What?" Harry demanded, not even glancing at her now. She could see his cheeks turning red, though whether it was from embarrassment at Hermione now knowing or anger at her, Aria didn't know.

"It's a Memory Charm," Aria answered. "It's meant to remove certain memories from a person's mind. That's what Dumbledore did. He removed yesterday's incident from Professor Snape's head. I even spoke to Snape and he didn't remember a _thing_! It was really frightening."

"So Professor Snape doesn't even remember that I got hurt?" Harry whispered.

"'Fraid so."

Harry's shoulders slumped and he threw a weed into the weed bucket beside him.

"I'm never getting out here then," he murmured.

"Not with an attitude like that!" Aria cried. "I don't really know how we're gonna get you out of here, but we're going to. We're just . . . twelve and have very limited options at the moment." She yanked up a weed Harry had missed.

"What if we involved the Muggles?" Hermione asked. "Child Services in the Muggle world? Dumbledore can't possibly modify all their memories. And if a wizarding child is picked up in the Muggle world, surely there is a way that the wizarding world can swoop in and help."

"I don't want to go with Muggle Child Services," Harry answered. "I've heard stories on the news. Not enough families, not enough homes, I'd be stuck in an overcrowded house with kids I don't know and it'd be harder to keep my magical stuff hidden."

"Oi! Pothead, who're the girls?" Several boys lumbered up the front walk of Privet Drive Number 4. The boy who'd spoken, a disgustingly obese blond boy, glared at Harry with such venom Aria wondered if he'd ever taken lessons.

"We're Hermione and Aria," Hermione responded. "We're classmates of Harry's."

The boys behind the fat boy began laughing. Aria noted how the blonde's face paled.

"You can't be classmates," one boy who looked like he'd been hit with an acne jinx. "Pothead goes to St. Brutus' Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."

Aria's mouth dropped open. Harry went _where_?

"That's a mouth," Hermione cried.

"Harry," Aria said, "why didn't you tell me you were an incurably criminal boy? Then I would have involved you in more trouble making at school. You bloody little goody-two-shoes!"

Harry gave her an unamused glare.

"I don't know where you heard that Harry went to such a place," Hermione continued, "if such a place even exists. Just the title is derogatory and seems to hearken back to a less than agreeable time period of this nation's history. Harry attends a school for the gifted with Aria and I. Only the best, the bright, or the richest can get in."

"What?" another boy cried, scratching his head.

"Yes," Aria agreed. "You only get into this school two ways: you're invited, or you're parents are alumni. And even then your parents being alumni doesn't guarantee you a spot. It's very posh. I'm on scholarship, but the school was more than happy to give me money to attending seeing as they _invited_ me to come. Hermione too."

"Harry's parents are very well respected alumni," Hermione said.

"What are you two doing?" Harry whispered, glancing at the confused faces of the boys. The fat boy's face was now an alarming color of white that Aria had never seen on anyone outside of a film before.

"Sadly there were assassinated," Aria continued.

"Oh come on!" Harry cried.

"Assassinated?" the acne riddled boy repeated.

"It's very tragic," Hermione agreed.

The boys stared at Aria and Hermione. Even Harry split his time between staring at Aria and Hermione. As they were all staring at the girls, the group failed to notice a gaggle of ladies come up the sidewalk.

"Dudley?" one lady called from the group when they reached the lawn. "Who are your friends?" she indicated the girls. Aria recognized her as Harry's aunt from the train station when they'd gotten off the Hogwarts Express.

"They say they go to school with Harry," one of the boys answered. Immediately Harry's aunt stiffened and the other ladies gasped in various stages of confusion.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Aria said, getting up. "I'm Aria. This is Hermione. I was down visiting Hermione who lives in London and we thought we'd pay Harry a visit."

Her dad would be ashamed at how easily the lies rolled off her tongue!

Aria squashed the thoughts down.

She held out her hand. Harry's aunt's eyes widened, like she was surprised and horrified that she was being asked to shake hands with a _witch_ because it was obvious that Harry's aunt had made the connection.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the woman murmured, taking Aria's hand, giving it a limp shake. "I'm his aunt, Petunia Dursley."

"A pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Dursley," Aria said.

"I see you've already met the boys," one woman added.

"Yes," Aria answered. "We just haven't gotten around to names yet."

The women all nodded at the group of boys as it seemed some of their sons were in the group. The fat boy whose face was slowly regaining color muttered,

"Dudley Dursley."

Ah, so Harry's cousin. Aria watched as Harry pushed himself to his feet and came to stand by her and Hermione.

"I'm Kitty Polkiss," a lady with copper colored hair said. "That's my son, Piers." She motioned to the acne ridden child. "I'm sorry, how do you know Petunia's nephew?"

"We go to school with him," Aria said.

"School?" another lady questioned.

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"School," Aria explained. "The place where you're meant to learn things that will help you be successful later in life as an adult."

More confused stares.

"But you're not boys," Mrs. Polkiss said.

It was a good thing they'd already encountered this confusion with the boys, Aria mused as she and Hermione glanced at Harry whose face was now turning red in what she hoped was embarrassment and not anger because she didn't want to know what real anger looked like with Harry. He was normally so mild mannered, anger was probably frightening.

"That would be correct," Hermione answered slowly. "We are girls."

"They said the three of them go to a school for the gifted," Piers piped up, voice whining like he didn't fully believe them. "They said that Pothea—Harry went there too and that his parents are alumni and that they were _assassinated_."

All the women gasped. Several hands flew to hearts and one woman covered her mouth in shock. Petunia Dursley's lips pinched into a tight frown as she tried not to glare at Piers. Aria almost grinned at the woman's look. Such discomfort. Were the lies spread about the neighborhood about to be undone by several twelve year olds?

"It seems very far-fetched," one woman answered. "Assassinated?"

"That is what you call it when someone is killed over political ideals isn't it?" Harry snapped. "Or for any cause? It was all hush-hush, I don't even know all the details. But they put my name down for the school when I was a baby so that's how I got in. Aria and Hermione were invited because of their brains."

"I bet you Hermione takes top student in our year," Aria said.

"I thought you would," Hermione said. "I don't know how well I did on the . . . chemistry exam and Professor Snape likes you."

"Snape?" Mrs. Dursley suddenly cried.

"Professor Severus Snape," Aria answered. "A dreadful grouch and my next door neighbor. That's how I got invited in."

"Where are you from?" Mrs. Dursley asked.

"I'm from London," Hermione answered.

"And I'm from Cokesworth," Aria added. "Mrs. Dursley, does Harry have many chores left to do? Hermione and I were hoping to hang out with him for a bit."

"I have finished weeding," Harry supplied. "And I know how busy you are, Aunt Petunia, so I made your Garden Club tea sandwiches. They're in the refrigerator."

"You made them?" Mrs. Polkiss asked.

"They're very simple to make."

"Go and change out of your work clothes, then you may go," Mrs. Dursley said. Harry scampered into the house.

"Won't you all come in?" Mrs. Dursley asked. "It is, after all, where we were headed?" She ushered the girls into the house followed by the women. Dudley and his friends decided it might be better to escape down the street.

"Tea?" Mrs. Dursley asked her lady friends. "Girls, would you like some sandwiches?"

"Perhaps one," Hermione said. Mrs. Dursley found several plates of tea sandwiches in the refrigerator and set them on the coffee table in the parlor. Aria and Hermione helped themselves to cucumber sandwiches.

"So, do you have anyone noteworthy in your class?" one of the women asked.

Aria munched thoughtfully on her sandwich. None of these ladies would know the Malfoys or Notts or any other high profile pureblood families.

"There is a boy who was going to go to Eton," Hermione answered.

"Really?" Aria cried. "Who's that?"

"Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"Did you say Finch-Fletchley?" the woman asked. Hermione nodded. "I've heard of that family. Very wealthy. Could buy themselves a title if they so wanted."

"What do they do?" Mrs. Polkiss asked.

"If I remember correctly," the woman said, voice lowering as if she were sharing a great secret, "the Finch-Fletchley patriarch is the President of the British branch of the Swiss Bank."

The ladies made appropriate impressed noises. Aria and Hermione shared a look. That certainly was an interesting tidbit. Aria grabbed another cucumber sandwich.

"I'm ready," Harry said, entering the living room.

Aria took one look at him and, without stopping to think, blurted out,

"I thought your aunt said to change out of your work clothes."

Hermione hit her shoulder.

"Sorry," Aria muttered. "It just slipped out."

"You've got to learn to think before you speak," Hermione scolded. "What have we all told you?"

"Okay, mum. Calm yourself. I apologized. Harry isn't about to kill me."

Harry folded his arms.

"I did change," he snapped. "I cleaned these this morning."

"I'm afraid your friend is right, Harry dear," the woman who knew about the Finch-Fletchleys said. "Those look more like your cousin's clothes."

A vindictive gleam shot through Harry's eyes before he turned away from Aria to peer innocently at the woman.

"But these are Dudley's clothes, Mrs. Frankson," he said. "I get all his hand-me-downs."

"What do you wear at school?" Mrs. Polkiss asked.

His school uniform. Aria could have hit herself. Of course! If his relatives had no qualms about beating Harry up why would they buy him fitting clothes? That was why he was always dressing in his uniform pants and shirts, even on weekends.

One glance at Hermione told Aria that her friend had come to the same conclusion.

"That's why you always wear your uniform," Hermione murmured.

"Are we going to hang out or not?" Harry asked. The girls grabbed extra sandwiches, bid their good-byes, and exited the house. Harry put a finger to his lips and the three crouched below the open window by the flowerbeds.

"Petunia," they heard Mrs. Frankson say, "I just assumed those were his work clothes!"

"They are," Petunia answered. "He's just pulling your leg. He tells lies all the time."

"I highly doubt he brought two classmates here just to help him expand on his lying," Mrs. Polkiss replied. "Besides, you said he was going to a school for boys and those two sweet young ladies were not boys."

There was silence.

"I'm not sure what's going on," Mrs. Frankson finally said. "But I've heard enough today to know that I have been lied to. Petunia, I don't know why you've done so, but why you would hide the fact that your nephew got into a special school? Is it because he finally beat your son at something?"

There was a collective gasp amongst the ladies.

"It must be said!" Mrs. Frankson cried. "I cannot keep silent any longer. It's terrible the way you let your son run about, Petunia. I've thought that from the very beginning, ever since Richard and I moved here four years ago. But, out of being polite, I stayed silent. Not anymore. You lied about where your nephew goes to school, what else have you lied about? If he is returning to this special school, then it must mean he's relatively bright or mentally unstable as you would have us believe."

"Mentally unstable?" Hermione whispered.

"All Slytherins are," Aria whispered back.

"What are you implying?" Mrs. Polkiss demanded.

"I'm implying that all is not right in this house," Mrs. Frankson stated. "I've seen Vernon stumble into this house, drunk as can be! I've seen your son chase boys down the street in demand for candy money. I have seen your nephew slave away on chores."

"To keep him out of trouble," Petunia answered.

"I think your own son needs to be kept out of trouble," Mrs. Frankson snapped.

Harry motioned for them to move away from the window and the three began walking down the street.

"I don't know what you were trying to accomplish," Harry said.

"It's okay, neither do we really," Hermione replied.

"I just wanted to make sure you're all right," Aria said. "Is that so bad?"

"I'm just afraid that Uncle Vernon will get mad."

"But if the neighbors are suspicious now, won't that keep your relatives from doing anything?" Aria guessed. "At least for the summer or until we figure out how to get Professor Snape's memories back."

"Maybe, maybe not," Harry said.

"Well you can hide at my house," Aria stated.

"Or mine," Hermione added. "It's much closer and Dumbledore certainly doesn't know where it is, or is it located anywhere that he might pop up in like Aria's."

Harry sighed. "Thanks you two," he muttered. They stopped outside an ice cream shop.

"My treat?" Hermione questioned. Aria and Harry readily agreed.

* * *

Sitting on the curb outside Number 4 Aria happily licked her ice cream cone of bright pink bubble gum flavor. Hermione had taken a more moderate approach to her ice cream by ordering a butter pecan cone while Harry had taken the classic chocolate with jimmies added on top.

"If anything, at least the ice cream will be worth the hassle with Uncle Vernon," Harry said, licking his treat.

"Where is your uncle?" Aria asked.

"Work. He'll be coming home soon."

Aria hurried to lick the ice cream that threatened to melt on her hand. An elderly lady toddled down the sidewalk towards them, grinning happily at Harry.

"Hello, Harry dear," the lady called. "Are you enjoying your summer holiday?"

"I am, Mrs. Figg," Harry responded. "Mrs. Figg, I'd like you to meet my friends, Aria and Hermione. They go to school with me."

Mrs. Figg stopped short, her eyebrows knitting together, and her face turning to a deep frown.

"School?" she questioned. "With you?"

"For a special school for the gifted," Harry answered. "I know my aunt and uncle have been telling everyone I go to some detention center, but it's not true."

Mrs. Figg looked insulted.

"As if I'd ever believe what _they_ say!" she cried. "I'm not that old yet, Harry dear. Well, it's nice to meet you two girls. I hope you enjoy the rest of your holidays and your ice cream." She continued off down the road.

"That's my babysitter," Harry explained. "Or she was when I was little. She had a ton of cats and her house always smells like cabbage."

"So regular old lady huh?" Aria teased.

"Basically."

The front door to Number 4 opened just as a bright black company car rolled into the driveway and a man, as fat as Harry's cousin with a terrible mustache, climbed out. Aria immediately recognized the man as Vernon Dursley who'd picked Harry up from the train station.

"What are you doing, boy?" Vernon demanded, glaring at Harry. "Have you finished your chores?"

Aria felt Harry stiffen beside her and she scooted closer, licking her ice cream slowly while staring the adult man down as best as she could.

"Aunt Petunia said I could hang out with my friends," Harry responded, even as Vernon began stomping towards him.

"Friends?" Vernon demanded. "I didn't know you had any _friends_."

"We're from his school," Hermione snapped. "For the _gifted_."

Vernon reared back like he'd been slapped. At that moment the women from within the house had come down the walk and were now standing nearby.

"Hello, Vernon," Mrs. Frankson greeted, a smile on her face and voice sweet and thick. "It's wonderful to see you. We had a pleasant time getting to know all about your nephew's school from his friends."

"What?" Vernon sputtered. A vein in his head began to pulse. Aria feared a heart attack might be nearing.

"Yes, we discussed your nephew a lot," Mrs. Polkiss said. "But we were able to straighten things out. Weren't we, Petunia?"

Petunia smiled and gave a nod. Aria recognized the look from several primary school teachers whenever they were agreeing with the headmistresses even under duress.

"Harry, dear," Mrs. Frankson said, coming to stand in the road to face Harry. "My son Jason has outgrown a lot of his clothes this past school year. I was just organizing it all to go to the charity shops, but you're more than welcome to come over tomorrow morning and find whatever you like to keep."

"Th-thank you," Harry stuttered. "That's not really needed, Mrs. Frankson."

"Don't be absurd," Mrs. Frankson said. "It's long overdue." She eyed the Dursleys before marching off down the street, the other ladies of the neighborhood in toe. Aria went back to her ice cream. It was painfully obvious in the remaining tension that the pecking order of Privet Drive had just changed drastically.

"Harry," Petunia mustered, "would you go inside and begin dinner? I need to speak with your uncle."

"Sure." Harry polished off his ice cream. "See you guys later." He hurried into the house, leaving the Dursleys with Aria and Hermione.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Dursley," Hermione said. "Thanks for letting Harry come hang out with us. Can I at least call on him again, since I live so nearby?"

Vernon's face continued to go red. Petunia gave a pained smile at Hermione.

"Of course," she agreed. "Just call ahead."


	4. A Mugging

**Thank you for all the reviews! I greatly appreciate them all. Once again, I don't own Harry Potter.**

A week later Aria was certain she and Hermione had managed to do some good for Harry. A letter had arrived via Muggle mail from him, telling him how several of the ladies on Privet Drive had taken it upon themselves to "monitor" the treatment of the Dursleys. It appeared, to Harry, that there was a shift in the pecking order of the quiet suburb and it was all mainly thanks to Aria and Hermione.

Aria had written back promptly saying it was because of her great Slytherin planning. She doubted Harry would believe that!

Pulling her empty lunch wagon down the street Aria thanked her lucky stars that Melinda's younger brother, Robert Jacobs, had suggested creating this lunch business. She almost wondered why he hadn't started something, but then realized that most people in Cokesworth were probably under the impression that he would skip town with the money and not bring them their food.

And food was important.

Still, it was amazing how well the idea had actually turned out, and the amount of customers she now had on a regular basis. She even had to keep a list because some people only wanted her to stop by on certain days of the week. Others, like Gloria Keetering, had money to spend every day.

Glancing at her list of Friday customers Aria noted that she needed to get an order from the medical clinic. She darted down an alleyway with her wagon, a shortcut to the small but popular clinic on this side of town.

Within the hour she was heading back to the medical clinic with takeout Italian from a new shop that had opened two weeks before she returned from Hogwarts. In all honesty, she was tempted to return and splurge on dinner for her and her dad. The entire restaurant had smelt of freshly baked bread and homemade sauce. Now the smell wafted from her wagon, making her mouth water.

"Praise the Lord!" one of the nurses cried, seeing Aria walk through the clinic doors. "I've been thinking of nothing else but my sub!"

The adults eagerly gathered around, finding their labeled lunch in the wagon, and handing over their money to Aria who happily slipped the money into the small pouch slung over her shoulder.

"We're going to miss you in the fall when you head back to school," another nurse stated. "We'll have to see if places will deliver to us."

Pleased, Aria left. She still had Gloria Keetering to get to and Mr. Larson.

Turning down the alleyway Aria almost turned back when she saw someone was using the alleyway as a shortcut, just like she did. Deciding, however, that the person would be able to move around her wagon, she kept going. The balding man that approached from the other side was dressed like he'd stepped out of the eighties or seventies with a shiny patterned coat and leather pants. Aria focused on keeping her wagon to the side and out of his way.

"Excuse me," the man said, once Aria had managed to ensure her wagon wouldn't trip him. "You wouldn't happen to be Aria Bourne?"

"Yes, sir," Aria answered.

"That's what I thought." The man drew out an object from a pocket. Too late Aria recognized a wand.

" _Petrificus Totalus_!"

Her head was going to explode.

Pain blossomed on one side of her face. Her head collided with something hard. A cry of pain blossomed in her throat but stopped short of just coming out. Pain blossomed on the other side of her face. Something was one top of her, trying to move her, manipulate her. For several seconds Aria tried to focus on her magic, but her entire body hit something hard and her focused fell away. She felt hands. Were they on her back or chest? Which way was up and which way was down?

"Hey! Hey! Get away from her!"

Words garbled into Aria's head, slow and morphed like she was swimming. The weight on top of her suddenly left and breath she hadn't realized she hadn't been taking returned. She gasped and gasped and coughed, trying to roll over, managing to open her eyes wide enough to see Tommy Bunker tackle a man in leather pants. In the distance she thought she could hear Samuel Tweed shouting something.

"Aria? Aria, can you hear me?" Turning her head hurt, but she managed it. Kneeling over her, looking frightened, was Robert Jacobs.

"Don't move," he ordered. "I don't know if anything's broken."

"R-Robert?" Aria managed to say. Sharp stabbing shot through her head, hitting the back of her eyes and ricocheting to the back of her head. She moaned.

"Don't talk," Robert murmured. "Help's coming."

Several minutes later one of the doctors and one of the nurses from the clinic appeared by Robert. He moved out of the way, letting them bend over Aria. They insisted on shining a light in her face and asking her the date and who her dad was.

She managed her dad but not the date and neither Dr. Lisbon or Nurse Smith seemed overly pleased with her eyes.

"Let's get you back to the clinic," Dr. Lisbon stated. "You don't have anything broken, but you're face is pretty banged up and I'm going to need to see what else might be bruising."

Robert reappeared then, slipping his arms under Aria's knees and shoulders, lifting her up and following the medical staff back to the clinic. Through half-lidded eyes Aria spotted Samuel and Tommy standing over a man with leather pants whom they had forced to sit on the curb outside the clinic.

"We've called the coppers," Samuel stated.

"Why are we calling the cops?" Aria asked. Robert settled her on a cot the nurses directed him to.

"Aria," Robert said, "you were just mugged. Terribly. I've been in lots of fights, but I don't think I've ever seen one so outmatched or terrible as the one I came across today." He pushed hair out of Aria's face. "I'm gonna call your da. You just hang tight."

"No!" Aria cried. Instantly regretting that decision, she curled up on the cot, a sob escaping to go along with the tears rolling down her cheeks. "St-stay."

"What's the number?" a nurse asked. "We'll make the call. Try and calm her down."

Robert perched on the side of the cot, stroking Aria's hair as she clutched her forehead, pressing on her skin hoping that the pressure would somehow relieve the one inside her head.

"You're gonna be fine," Robert murmured. "Promise."

"It hurts," Aria gasped out. "Like knives stabbing into my skull. Make it stop, make it stop!"

"Can't you give her something?" Robert demanded.

"Dr. Lisbon, Aria's dad wants to speak with you," a nurse said, handing over the cordless phone to the doctor.

"This is Dr. Lisbon . . . Kenneth . . . it appears she was mugged . . . the police are on their way . . . yes, she's in quite a bit of pain . . . of course, thank you. See you in a few minutes." Dr. Lisbon hung up the phone.

"We can administer a painkiller," Dr. Lisbon told the nurse. "Her dad just gave us permission."

Aria's arm was pulled from her head. A sharp prick registered in her head, and then the pain began to slowly fade until it no longer felt like knives stabbing her, but the remnants of a hammer hitting her head. At least it didn't hurt as badly.

"Feeling better?" Robert asked.

"A little," Aria muttered, curling against him. The teen continued stroking her head.

Minutes ticked by. A police officer appeared in the doorway, wanting to talk to Aria and Robert. Kenneth appeared within seconds and was immediately filled in on the situation. He gathered Aria into his arms, kissed the top of her head, and rocked her like she was having a bad dream.

It certainly felt like one.

"Can you remember anything about the attack?" The police officer asked.

"No," Aria replied. "I remember dropping off the food here at the clinic, walking into the alleyway because it's a short cut—I always use it—and then the next thing I know the boys are tackling someone and I've got this terrible headache."

"She was screaming," Dr. Lisbon told Kenneth. "I'm guessing she hit her head very hard. I'd like to continue to examine her and take pictures for the police report."

"I think you're going to get the most information from the three boys," Kenneth told the police officer.

"For once," the officer muttered.

Closing her eyes, Aria tuned out the voices of the adults around her. She wanted to sleep.

"Don't go to sleep," Dr. Lisbon ordered. "You may have a concussion. I want to do some more tests to see how severe it is."

"Okay," Aria answered, keeping her eyes closed. She focused on clearing her head like Professor Snape taught her, focused on feeling her magical core which always served to calm her down. Why hadn't it reacted when she was attacked? Had she somehow, subconsciously, kept it from exploding out of her because she was in a Muggle neighborhood? Or had she been too frightened? Or maybe the attack had happened too quickly.

She found her magical core pulsing and quivering like a frightened deer. She reached for it, stroking it with her mind. The core slowly ceased to quiver and began to expand again; magic trickled throughout her body, Aria could feel it working to take away all the aches and pains. That was new and unusual.

Within minutes the pounding her head was almost gone.

"Let's get the pictures of the bruises," Dr. Lisbon said, snapping several pictures of Aria's face. "That man really hit you good."

"Is there . . . ." Kenneth began, "is there evidence of . . . um . . . ."

"No," Dr. Lisbon answered. "There isn't."

Aria felt her dad relax and heard the large sigh of relief. Whatever it was her dad was worried about, she'd ask about it later. Instead she sank further into her dad's arms.

"We'll follow up with you after we speak with the man," the police officer said. "It seems like we'll get the most information out of him and the boys."

"What's the guys name?" Kenneth demanded. "Do you know that at least?"

"Uh . . . ." the police officer flipped through his notebook. "Mundungus Fletcher."

* * *

By the time Aria and her dad returned to Spinner's End, everyone in the neighborhood had heard about what happened and were gathered around Aria's house when she and her dad arrived via a police car.

"What a greeting," Kenneth mocked as he helped Aria from the car.

"Don't get fresh, young man," one of the more older ladies of the street snapped. "Your daughter is sweeter than you can ever hope to be. To think some man would pick on a child just for a few pounds!"

"Shameful the way this world has turned out," an older gentleman agreed.

"Can you make way so that we can get to the house?" Kenneth asked. Several people stepped to the side. Kenneth ushered Aria up to the porch where someone had set up a cushioned rocking chair. Aria immediately sank into the cushions, pleased with how comfy it was.

"You'll find dinner on the table," Mrs. Bunker, Tommy's mum, said.

"How'd you get into the house?" Kenneth demanded.

"Ken, you leave the key in the most obvious of places," Mrs. Bunker answered.

"That's not the point!"

"I made her favorite," Mrs. Bunker continued.

"Yorkshire pudding?" Aria questioned.

"No. The other one."

"Pasties!"

Kenneth slipped into the house and returned with a TV dinner stand and a plate of pasty which he situated in front of Aria. As she ate the adults contented themselves to disparaging Fletcher, declaring the three boys of Spinner's End heroes, and bemoaning the fact that they didn't act so responsible on a regular basis.

Eventually another cop car came down the road, but this time depositing Samuel, Tommy, and Robert on the street. The adult immediately gathered the boys up onto the porch of Aria's house and the three were forced to tell the whole neighborhood the whole story.

"See, you three are responsible members of the community!" Old Mr. Finn cried. "Why you insist on acting like hooligans with something to hide is beyond me."

"I'm so proud of you," Mrs. Bunker told Tommy, restraining from kissing his cheek. Tommy's face turned bright red and he hid his face as the few gathered young folk teased him.

"Fletcher's a coward," Robert stated. "Weasel of a man. Sat there sniveling as we waited for the coppers. Said Aria looked like an easy target. Coward, I tell you. No one mugs a twelve year old kid unless they're a coward."

"Yeah, well, we gave him a good beating," Samuel muttered. "He'll be more of a coward now."

Aria polished off her pasty with a glass of water.

"So what'd the doctor say?" Robert asked Kenneth.

"Aria's got a concussion, so she can't sleep for the next twenty-four hours," Kenneth answered. "She's got lots of facial bruising and a good egg on her head. Besides that, and some bruising on her back and elbows, she's fine."

"But shaken," Aria admitted, curling up in the rocking chair, felt her magic snuggle against her from within her body, and smiled. She could fall asleep right now.

"Don't fall asleep," Kenneth warned. "I might have to take that chair for myself."

Aria grabbed the arms of the chair.

"No," she muttered.

"Then don't fall asleep."

The loud bang of a door brought everyone's attention to Snape's house. Professor Snape came down his front steps and crossed over to Aria's house.

"I heard Miss Bourne had been attacked," he said.

"It was terrible," Aria said. "I don't remember it at all."

"That's because you hit your head so hard," Kenneth answered.

"Is that all she's forgotten?" Snape asked. "I'd hate to have to reteach her basic science concepts."

"Yes, it appears she doesn't remember the attack. The rest of her memory is fine."

"Didn't think we'd see you come out of your house," Mr. Tweed, Samuel's dad, said to Snape. "You're such a recluse."

"It's been rather beneficial," Snape responded. "I don't have to deal with people."

"Ever the loner," Mr. Tweed continued. "Just like at school."

Snape stepped through the small space between Tommy and Robert, coming to stand beside Aria on the porch. He placed several glass vials on the TV dinner tray.

"Some . . . herbal remedies," he said. "For your headache and bruises. Unfortunately there is no herbal remedy for a concussion, but the drink should help."

"I thought you were a science teacher," Robert said, narrowing his eyes at the dower man. "Isn't herbal remedies . . . unscientific?"

"Only if they are not backed by years of research by the scientific community," Snape replied. "Herbal medicine was the first form of science we had and many of its methods are tried and true. Or do you not realize that willow is still used in your pain relieving medications?" Robert scowled.

Aria popped the top off the drinkable potion and downed it. Immediately, though the pain in her head had dulled to almost nothing before, the pain completely left and she felt clearer headed than she had in hours.

"No remedy for a concussion?" she murmured, handing the empty vial to Snape.

"It is true," Snape said. "I wouldn't fall asleep if I were you, but the other affects of a concussion shouldn't bother you. Even we cannot fix everything. Don't forget to spread these on your bruises. Thought not _too_ much."

"Got it." Aria grinned at him. "Thanks."

"Do you know who attacked you?" Snape asked. "Obviously some coward."

"The name he gave the police is Mundungus Fletcher," Tommy piped up. Snape whirled about to stare at the young man.

"Pardon, Mr. Bunker?" Snape murmured, his volume dropping until it was the deep bass of a teacher daring his student to disrespect him again. "Would you repeat that name again?"

"M-Mundungus Fletcher," Tommy repeated, scooting closer to Samuel. "Why? Do you know him?" Snape merely turned back to Kenneth.

"Kenneth," Snape said, "I would like a word."

"What sort of word?" Kenneth asked. "I have plenty to give."

Snape's glare would have melted lesser men, but Kenneth was Aria's father, and therefore withstood the glower with dignity. The rest of the neighborhood, though the glare was not directed at them, did not withstand the glare and; after bidding Aria and Kenneth hasty good-byes and smiles, scampered off to their homes.

Except for Robert, Tommy, and Samuel.

"You three boys run along," Kenneth said. "We'll be all right."

The three boys left sulking.

Kenneth helped Aria into the house, Snape carrying the rocking chair so that Aria could snuggle back into it.

"All right, Severus, spill," Kenneth ordered. "Who is this Mundungus Fletcher?"

"A wizard of the questionable sort," Severus answered.

"Do lots of wizards and witches have strange names?" Aria asked.

"Hush," Snape snapped.

"Why would he attack Aria?" Kenneth asked. "I doubt he knew she was a witch."

"I don't know," Snape answered. "He's a petty thief, smuggler, and con man. He'd sell his own grandmother if it'd benefit him. But attacking a child is a serious crime in the wizarding world, and adding on the idea that Aria could have been a Muggle child? If Fletcher's crime were discovered by the wizarding world he'd be spending a while in prison. I don't know why he'd risk it."

"Whatever the reason, I don't really care," Kenneth stated. "He's going to suffer Muggle justice for this."

"Aren't there ways he could escape?" Aria asked. "I mean . . . I overheard the sixth years talking about Apparation."

"He could try it, but if there are Muggles around, he won't try it," Snape said. "Adding the possible crime of revealing the wizarding world to Muggles would add more to his heap of troubles. But if he _does_ escape then there may be an anonymous tip to the DMLE about him."

Kenneth grunted his approval.

"Let's get your bruises taken care of," he eventually said, stepping past Snape and uncapping the bottle of lotion looking potion that Snape had given them.

"Thanks again, Professor," Aria said as her dad spread a thin layer over her bruises. "I bet I won't look so terrible in no time!"

"I'm sure," Snape murmured. He paused, as if struggling to figure out what he wanted to say. "Aria, do you remember, about a week ago, coming to me concerned about Harry?"

Aria frowned.

"No," she answered. "I don't. Why'd I be worried about him?"

"You told me he came to my home beaten and bruised," Snape continued. "And that I'd been obliviated by Headmaster Dumbledore."

"No," Aria said, "I never told you any of that. I've never seen Harry here at Spinner's End. Have you been smelling too many potions fumes?"

Snape's lips pressed together in a thin line. She recalled seeing such looks throughout the school year whenever he was displeased with a Snake and was trying to determine how to resolve a particular situation.

"Very well then," Snape eventually said. "Good night."

He swept from the house, leaving Aria to stare after him feeling confused, like she had missed something very important. Her dad did not appear too concerned by the situation.

"Let's get you settled," Kenneth said. "It's going to be a long night of no sleep for both of us."


	5. The Overlook

**Thanks for all the reviews! If you haven't seen, Seadrona101 wrote (with my permission) a short drabble set in the** ** _The Muggleborn Slytherin: Of Monsters and Men_** **universe. You should go check it out.**

Mundungus Fletcher used his brain for once (according to Snape) and didn't disappear out of his Muggle prison cell. He simply pleaded guilty and was sent for several weeks in prison. Aria was only too pleased to put the mugging incident behind her and focus on the rest of her summer.

Which involved a trip to Daphne's home with Hermione. The two had been invited to Daphne's home soon after Aria was declared healthy by the local clinic. Aria convinced Professor Snape to let her use his Floo, though he told Kenneth that he was only letting Aria use his Floo to "Stop her whining" and because "Miss Bourne will help me prune the hedges in my backyard."

Her dad had agreed to both statements.

Traitor.

Either way, she was getting to Daphne's home which was called The Overlook, like something out of a fantasy novel, much easier than Hermione who was going to come via Floo from the Leaky Cauldron.

Stumbling out of the Floo Aria was caught by Daphne who laughed and helped her brush the soot off.

"First time?" Daphne asked.

"Second," Aria answered. "Or . . . third technically. Still, it's been nearly a year."

A few moments later the fire in the mantel flared green and Hermione stepped out, a little wobbly on her feet, but she managed to stay upright.

"That was amazing!" Hermione cried.

"How you manage to get everything on your first try baffles me," Aria stated as she and Daphne struggled to brush soot from Hermione's hair.

"We've got to do something about your hair," Daphne tutted. "You know, there's a nice hair gel that'll make your curls actually stay curled without frizzing."

"Lavender uses it," Hermione said. "But honestly, except for maybe special occasions, I just feel like slapping gel on my hair is too much work. If I really have a problem with it, I'll just braid it."

Mr. Greengrass strolled into the room.

"Welcome to our home!" he greeted, smiling at the girls. "It's wonderful to have people over that Daphne likes." Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for having us over," Aria said.

"It's a pleasure," Mr. Greengrass answered. "Daphne, show them around then bring them to lunch." He disappeared back out of the room.

"Well, as you can see this is the parlor," Daphne said, sweeping her hand around the room. "Come on!" She led them out into the foyer of the home and showed them the view out the front door which showed a long wide dirt drive that wound through a thick forest.

"Whoa," was all Aria managed before Daphne swept them further into the house to show them her bedroom, the music room, a tea room, another private parlor, the formal dining room which had at one time also been the ballroom, but the Greengrasses didn't hold balls anymore.

"Besides," Daphne had said, "the formal dining room is one of the original rooms from when the manor was built in the twelfth century. They only needed one room for dancing and eating."

When the tour of the manor was over Daphne led them to the back terrace which overlooked the Greengrass land. Aria now understood why the manor was called The Overlook. The terrace stretched almost to the edge of a cliff before the rock face dropped one hundred feet to meet with expansive pasture land. In the distance, perhaps a half mile or so, were trees and hills which stretched on and on. A river even ran across the land, winding lazily into the trees and hills.

"It's beautiful!" Hermione cried.

"We own all the land for the next four miles," Daphne said, pointing. "Then it's the nearby Muggle village of Ridden-on-Storr. In all we have about four square miles of land. It's heavily warded so that Muggles don't trespass. I think Father said they think this land is a nature preserve of some kind."

"That's a smart cover-up," Hermione said.

"A lot of old families have had to do that," Daphne said as she led them to the far side of the terrace where a lunch spread of sandwiches and cold drinks had been laid out. "Some are secluded like this place, others are eccentric rich folk to the Muggles like the Malfoys and Parkinsons." She led them to the far side of the terrace to the lunch table elegantly spread with sandwiches, drinks, and other edibles. Mr. Greengrass welcomed them from his seat reading the _Daily Prophet_ while Mrs. Greengrass managed to smile before returning to her own food. Daphne's little sister looked Aria and Hermione up and down before scooting her chair away.

"Astoria," Mr. Greengrass murmured. "Don't be rude."

Astoria flipped her dark chocolate colored hair over her shoulders with a sniff.

"Sorry about her," Daphne whispered as the girls sat, grabbing sandwiches and drinks. "I'll explain later."

"Your home is beautiful," Hermione said to the Greengrasses. Mr. Greengrass grinned at her.

"I'd expect nothing less," Mrs. Greengrass answered. "One cannot have a home if it's not beautiful."

Aria decided Mrs. Greengrass would not like her own house with its peeling paint and rickety porch.

Hermione turned to Astoria.

"When do you start Hogwarts, Astoria?" she asked. Astoria bit into her sandwich, focusing on refilling her drink goblet and ensuring the insides of her sandwich did not go all over her plate. Hermione and Aria glanced at each other before looking towards Daphne who glared at her younger sister. Mr. Greengrass too frowned disapprovingly at his youngest daughter.

"Hermione asked you a question, Astoria," he said. "It's impolite for you to ignore her."

Astoria huffed.

"I don't want to speak with her," Astoria whined. "It's none of her business when I start Hogwarts."

"You start this year," Daphne snapped. "You got your letter two days ago."

"Don't announce it!" Astoria cried.

"Why?" Daphne demanded. "You're going to show up at the Hogwarts then everyone will know." Astoria rolled her eyes and went back to her sandwich. Aria noted Mr. Greengrass' fingers curl around the edges of his paper, crumpling the edges of the parchment.

"Astoria," Mr. Greengrass finally bit out. "You're being rude."

Astoria wasn't too concerned. She finished one sandwich and moved onto another.

"Sorry about Astoria," Daphne said later as the three girls lounged in Daphne's room. It was as large as Aria's living room with a spectacular view of the grounds. If Aria stuck her head out one of the windows, she could just make out the edge of the terrace.

"Mother and Astoria have always been close, much like my father and I," Daphne continued. "Father managed to keep the family neutral during the First War, the one that ended when Harry defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I don't know how he did it, what with Mother's political ideals."

"Which are?" Aria questioned.

"Muggleborns have no place in wizarding society," Daphne said. "We're still considered a neutral family, so Mother doesn't go around spouting off her ideas."

"What family does she come from?"

"Parkinson."

"Which is why Pansy wants to be close to you," Aria said.

"Yes. She's my . . . third cousin. Or something like that. Most pureblood families in the UK and Ireland are related in one way or another."

"Weird," Aria decided. "To think you're related to a portion of Hogwarts. Or possibly even the professors!" The girls laughed at the thought.

 **Super short, I know. I've been busy with the Great North Eastern War, authorizing in Combat Archery, and work. So, the next chapter will be longer, I promise.**


	6. A Life Debt

Aria corresponded with her friends throughout the rest of the summer. Hermione and Harry through the Muggle mail, Ron and Daphne through owl post. At one point Ron tried to convey a story that had taken place between him and Theo, but as Ron's letter writing skills weren't the most coherent due to his poor handwriting, Aria replied that the story might better be told in person on the Hogwart's Express.

Curiously, it seemed, that Ron and Daphne's mail to Harry was going unreplied. Therefore, it became Aria's duty to ask Harry through her own letters why he wasn't replying.

 _Me forgetting to write them?_ Harry's reply had been. _I haven't received any letters except from you and Hermione_. _Not even Neville has written, though that's no surprise. I doubt he's any better at letter writing than Ron would be – or is_.

Aria had immediately written Ron back when the Weasley's owl, Errol, made an appearance at her home, almost ramming into a closed window. Her next letter from Ron had demanded detailed instructions on how to send a letter by Muggle means because Ron now believed Errol had delivered the letters wrong.

And so the summer went. Until the day Aria received an owl from Ron, late in the summer, informing Aria that Harry had arrived via Muggle bus in Ottery St. Catchpole and walked to the Burrow. He said that Harry said Harry would tell Aria the full story later and could they set a date to go to Diagon Alley when they got their school supplies, which the lists were meant to be coming in the next few days.

Waiting was the hardest part for the next week. As soon as Aria received her Hogwarts letter containing all her school supplies and instructions on how to obtain her scholarship spending stipend, she waited for Ron's owl. Errol came fluttering up to the house a few hours later, managing to almost knock Aria over onto the couch as he attempted to land on the back of the furniture.

Therefore, on a fine Saturday morning Aria found herself in Snape's parlor with her dad. Kenneth had managed to get the day off (he had a lot of vacation days to take off apparently) and would be accompanying her in buying her supplies. He'd also be experiencing the Floo for the first time.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Kenneth asked Snape.

"Yes," the professor answered. "As long as you are holding onto your daughter you shouldn't have a problem. Let go and you might get stuck somewhere . . . unseemly."

Aria tossed the Floo powder in. The flames turned green. Gripping her dad's hand Aria led him into the fire shouting "Diagon Alley" as she went.

* * *

"Firs time through the Floo?" Tom the barkeeper asked as he brought a goblet of water for Kenneth who was still hacking up soot.

"First for him," Aria answered.

"I must say I admire you, sir," Tom said to Kenneth. "Not many Muggle parents are willing to try magical transportation. And you're not any worse off any young children on their first Floo ride so, don't feel bad, man."

"I'll remember that," Kenneth gasped, gulping at the water. "Shouting in surprise probably didn't do me much favors."

"You normally want to keep your mouth shut," Aria agreed. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah." Kenneth stood, wobbled for a second, then steadied. "All right, Miss Aria. Show me this new world of yours." Aria grabbed her dad's hand and dragged him out the back of the Leaky Cauldron, tapping out the correct pattern on the brick wall with her wand, and watched with delight at her dad's jaw dropped while the bricks moved out of the way to created an archway.

Diagon Alley bustled with excitement. Apparently many Hogwarts students were out shopping today. As they past Flourish and Blotts Aria noted a sign outside that promoted a book signing by author Gilderoy Lockhart. She glanced at her school supply list. Her defense books were all by that man.

"Now remember, Dad," Aria said as they approached Gringotts. "The bank is run by goblins. I read about them at school and Professor Binns teaches nothing but the goblin wars. Try not to stare and gawk they might take offence. Apparently they're proud creatures and they speak a differently language so don't be surprised if you hear them speaking it."

"Okay," Kenneth agreed. "I say, that's a bit of a dire warning isn't it?" He motioned to the poem above the doorway.

"Apparently people turn into spaghetti if they try and steal from the bank," Aria answered with a shrug. "That's what Ron said and his brother works for the bank."

Aria made a beeline for the teller window marked REDFIST. This was the goblin in charge of giving out the money to Hogwarts students on scholarship.

"Good morning, Redfist," Aria said, bowing. She remembered reading a book with Hermione about etiquette that other magical races practiced. Supposedly goblins considered bowing at greetings to be a sign of respect.

Redfist bowed his head back at her, showing off a row of sharp teeth as he smiled at her.

"What can I do for you today, miss?" he asked. Aria handed over the letter that had arrived with her school supplies list. It basically stated that Aria was on scholarship and that she needed money from the scholarship account. Redfist took a stamp and slammed it against the bottom of the parchment, filing it away somewhere at his teller desk. He barked in Gobblygook at another goblin and this one disappeared for a few moments, returning with a bag.

Redfist ticked something off on a parchment in front of him before handing Aria the bag.

"Fifty galleons, Miss Bourne," he said. "You'll receive the other fifty by owl after your Christmas holidays like last year."

"Thank you, Redfist," Aria said. "Please, I worked this summer and would like to open my own Gringotts account. Who should I speak to?"

Redfist pointed across the center aisle.

"Speak with Grimhook," he said.

"Thanks!" Aria yanked her dad, who'd been staring at the real crystal and gold chandelier above their heads, across the aisle to the teller labeled GRIMHOOK. Once again she bowed to the goblin who nodded back at her.

"I have Muggle money," Aria said, "and I would like to use it to open my own Gringotts account."

"A most wise decision for someone so young," Grimhook answered. He rifled through papers on his desk. "I have hear a form that you must fill out. As you're a minor I will also need the signature of a parent or guardian."

"That's me!" Kenneth piped up.

"Doesn't matter if they're magical or not?" Aria asked as she began filling out her name and address on the parchment.

"No," Grimhook answered. "However, since he is not magical, he will not have access to your vault."

"Not my money anyways," Kenneth answered. He signed where he was meant to, though it took him a moment to figure out the quill. Once that was done, Grimhook motioned Aria a little closer.

"Much of the identification process here at Gringotts is done by blood and your wand," he told her. "Therefore I shall prick your finger and you will let it drop by your signature. The magical signature that runs through your blood will be recorded. This helps keep thieves out, but also allows us to know it's you should you ever lose your vault key and need a replacement."

He produced a silver dagger and gently pricked Aria's finger. She let some blood drip onto the parchment. Her blood shimmered and disappeared. Grimhook muttered a healing charm under his breath, the cut on her finger disappearing.

"Do you have the money to put into your vault?" he asked. Aria dug into the shoulder bag she wore, pulling out a wad of cash. Her delivery service had produced more profit than she'd expected and this was only half the money. The rest she'd placed in a Muggle bank account at her dad's insistence (just in case) though Aria wasn't sure what 'just in case' could be.

"I'd like it converted into wizard money," Aria said, setting the cash down. Grimhook quickly counted out the money.

"This will convert to around forty galleons," the goblin said. "Every month you'll gain about five sickles in interest."

"That sounds fine," Aria said. "I don't plan to take much out during my years at Hogwarts."

Grimhook disappeared with the money and parchment, returning a few minutes later with a shiny gold key with the number 413 on it .

"This is your vault number," he said. "Guard your vault with your life. If there is anyone you wish to grant permission to get money from your vault you will need to write us a letter, informing us, and give that person a letter of reference to hand to the goblins. Without these two things we cannot allow anyone into your vault."

"Understood," Aria answered. Grimhook handed her a folder stuffed with parchment.

"Just a simple rundown of Gringott's services," the goblin said. "For all our new customers."

Aria and her dad stepped out of the bank into the bright sunlight.

"That was brilliant!" Kenneth cried.

"Just wait until you see the rest of the alley," Aria said. She pulled out of her list of supplies. She doubted that her defense books would be in the second hand shop, so she'd need to get those last. But first she needed to find her friends.

At that moment an excited squeal reached her ears and Aria found herself with an armful of Hermione. She spat out some of the girl's hair from her mouth.

"Okay, Hermione!" she cried. "I'm not dead or anything."

Hermione laughed. "Aria, it's so good to see you! You remember my parents right?"

"Indeed!" Kenneth cried, shaking hands with Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "Dave and Julia, right?"

"We've already got our money exchanged," Hermione said. "Have you?" Aria held up the bag of galleons. "Great! I haven't see Harry or the Weasleys yet. What do you think made Harry runaway from home like that? It was very irresponsible of him."

"I'm sure he had good reason," Aria said. "Though his letters made it sound that things were looking up for him at home." The girls chattered as they made their way down the alley, entering into the scrivener's shop for ink, parchment, notebooks, and quills. Aria thought Hermione took a long time to figure out which quills and notebooks she liked the best, and finally forced Hermione to make her purchases so they could get going. Dave and Julia didn't seem surprised at their daughter's shopping habits.

"Did you see that Gildroy Lockhart is doing a book signing?" Hermione asked as they entered Slug's and Jigger's Apothecary. "He's so dreamy."

"I'd never heard of him until we got our supply list," Aria said. "Do you think any of his books would be in second hand?"

"A few probably," Hermione answered. "But not all."

After the apothecary, still seeing no sign of the Weasleys and Harry, the girls went to Ditto's Second Hand Shop where Aria managed to scrounge up a copy of _Years with the Yeti_ and _Weekend with a Werewolf_.

"Are you sure these are the right books?" Aria asked, flipping through _Weekend with a Werewolf_. "It seems more like an autobiography to me."

"Some of it is, but he mentions a lot of the spells he uses, so it can be a guide to fighting off dark creatures," Hermione stated, deciding she liked a pair of boots on the shelf. The girls made their purchases. Exiting the shop they were pleased to finally see the Weasley family and Harry in the alley.

"Sorry," Harry said to them. "The house is crazy."

"Why am I not surprised?" Aria asked.

"If it isn't our favorite little Muggleborn Slytherin!" Fred and George cried, reaching for Aria. She slid behind her dad, glaring at the two.

"I'm not little," she snapped.

"Stop teasing her," Percy ordered. Fred and George rolled their eyes at their brother.

"Ron, Harry, why don't you go with your yearmates?" Arthur Weasley suggested. "We'll meet up in an hour at the bookshop. Perhaps the crowd will have died down."

"Mum's over the moon in love with Lockhart," Ron told Aria and Hermione.

"I think Hermione is too," Aria confided.

"Aria!"

"Just saying. The way your voice went higher and dreamier?"

"Well they aren't the only people in love. I think Percy's got a girlfriend, and so do Fred and George. Except for that owl from you early in the summer, Aria, the only other mail he keeps to himself and hides it away."

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione cried. "You have not been trying to read your brother's mail have you?"

"Um . . . no?" Ron's face turned bright red.

"What letter did I send Percy?" Aria asked.

"Like two weeks into break. You had a question about some spell. He wasn't very forthcoming."

"I don't remember sending him a letter," Aria said. "Are you sure it wasn't his . . . friend?" The idea that Oliver Wood had been corresponding with Percy throughout the summer made her feel sulky and queasy at the same time.

"I'm sure. You really don't remember?"

"You did knock your head hard," Kenneth piped up from behind them.

"Oh yeah," Aria muttered. "I got mugged."

"Oh how awful!" Julia cried.

"What's mugged?" Ron questioned.

"I means someone attacked her for money," Hermione explained. "That's awful, Aria. Was this before or after Daphne's?"

"Before. But I was better by the time we went so I didn't see the need to say anything."

They stopped off at Madam Malkin's for new robes for Harry (Mrs. Weasley was apparently sewing the Slytherin crest onto some of Fred and George's old robes for Ron) and then the scrivener's again for the boys to grab school supplies. Aria, once again, dragged Hermione from the shop while the bushy haired girl made a very dramatic scene of declaring Aria a cruel friend for dragging her away from her beloved writing materials.

Hermione was spending too much time with Slytherins.

The line out of Flourish and Blotts still wound out the door and past several shops.

"Maybe we can just owl order the books," Ron muttered.

"It does appear very crowded inside," Kenneth said, peering over the heads and shoulders of wizards and witches into the shop.

"But I want to meet Lockhart!" Hermione cried.

"Just like every other witch in this country," Ron said, motioning to the line which held an abundance of females, most giggling housemothers. While Hermione bemoaned the idea of missing out on meeting this idol of hers, Aria was just glad they weren't going to have to be inside the crowded bookshop, pushing and shoving without room to move or breathe; but she had to admit that she was disappointed that she couldn't browse the books and pick at least one to spend some of her hard-earned summer cash on.

At that moment a man with a camera pushed his way through the crowd, trying to get into the bookshop.

" _Daily Prophet_!" the man yelled. "Excuse me, I'm from the _Daily Prophet_!" Only one or two people moved. One even pushed back, shoving the man straight into Harry. Both toppled over.

"Sorry, lad!" the man cried, flipping over to help Harry to his feet. "Got shoved into – Merlin! You're Harry Potter!"

Aria watched as Harry's eyes widened and his head swiveled in several directions to find an escape route as the majority of the crowd turned to catch of glimpse of him.

"Are you here for the book signing?" the reporter asked.

"I'm here for my school supplies," Harry replied. "But it's obvious my friends and I will have to come back another day since it's so crowded . . . ."

"Let them through!" someone cried and, to Aria's great amusement, the crowd parted to let Harry, Ron, Hermione, Aria, and their parents into the bookshop. The reporter followed behind, snapping a few photos while the Grangers and Kenneth shared glances that told Aria they weren't sure what to make of Harry's fame.

In the bookshop Aria glanced towards the front where Gildroy Lockhart was signing books. The man appeared confused at why people were turning away from his table, only for the look to be replaced by a look of awe and excitement. A smile passed over the man's face, showing off pearly whites that had to have been whitened by magic, and he stood with a flourish of his light blue cape.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Gildroy Lockhart cried, drawing everyone attention back to him. "What a fortunate day! Our illustrious savior has graced us with our presence!"

"What a drama queen," Aria muttered to Hermione. Hearing only a sigh she turned and found her friend staring with dreamy eyes at the poof-ball in a cloak.

"Hermione," she cried, drawing her friend's attention. "You can't be serious."

"What?"

"Schoolbooks. Not men hunting."

"But he's one of the foremost Defense Masters!"

"Bring the young Harry up here!" Lockhart cried. The reporter of the _Daily Prophet_ yanked Harry up to the front of the store, throwing him beside Lockhart to take pictures.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Lockhart said again, "when young Harry came in for his school supplies, he never believed he'd be standing here next to someone almost as famous as himself. Nor did he ever think he'd receive my entire collect, signed, and free of charge." He picked up a book-set, shoving it into Harry's hands. Harry scurried away as quickly as possible, dumping the book-set into Aria's hands.

"I'll get myself another set," he muttered as the friends slipped into the depths of the shop, leaving their parents to browse in the masses.

"Harry—,"

"That was embarrassing!" Harry hissed.

"Can't even go into a bookshop without creating a scene, can you?"

The friends turned to find Draco leaning against a bookshelf, arms folded, and looking for all the world like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was.

"Shut up," Harry muttered, grabbing the required Charms book off the shelf. He passed a copy each to his friends. "Don't you have other things to do than bother us?"

"Not really. This summer has been _dull_."

"So sorry," Aria retorted. "It must truly be awful, being so rich and having absolutely nothing to do."

"Shut up, Bourne."

"Make me, Malfoy."

A hand fell on Aria's shoulder, making her jump. A quick look over her shoulder revealed her dad behind her, looking less than amused.

"Is that how I raised you to speak with people?" he asked.

"Not really," Aria muttered, glaring at Draco.

"Hello, young man," Kenneth continued, turning his attention to Draco. "You're one of Aria's Slytherin year mates right? Dr . . . Draco Malfoy wasn't it?"

Draco blinked, surprise flittering through his eyes and across his face.

"Yes, sir," he answered. "You remembered!"

"I try and remember people I meet," Kenneth answered. "It's less of a hassle when you don't have to be reintroduced."

"Speaking of introductions," Mrs. Granger murmured, glancing at Hermione. Hermione sighed and motioned to the blonde boy.

"Mum, Dad, this is Draco Malfoy. He's going into second year too and he's in Slytherin with Harry, Ron, and Aria. Malfoy, these are my parents, David and Julia Granger."

"It's wonderful to meet you," Julia said, smiling brightly at Draco.

"Draco!" a man Aria recognized as Lucius Malfoy swept up behind Draco, placing a gloved hand on his son's shoulder. Draco glanced towards his father, as if relieved that the man had appeared. "Draco, what have I told you about wandering off when crowds are this large? Oh, good afternoon. Draco, do introduce me."

There was a slight predatory look to Lucius Malfoy's smile that made Aria inch closer to her dad. She recalled the man she'd first met briefly in Slug's and Jigger's a year ago with Professor Snape. How could this be the same person?

"Father," Draco stated, voice filling with the same pompous attitude he carried with him at school. "These are my year mates—,"

"Let me guess," Mr. Malfoy said, glancing at the assembled children. "Dark hair, glasses, green eyes . . . Harry Potter. Wonderful to finally meet you in person, Mr. Potter. We owe you a great deal."

Harry's face turned pink. Mr. Malfoy turned his attention to Ron.

"Red hair, vacant expression . . . dismal robes. Weasley I expect. And you two!" He looked Aria and Hermione up and down. "You two must be Aria Bourne and Hermione Granger. Glancing by your cloaks I'm going to hazard you're Bourne and you're Granger." He indicated their house badge on their cloaks. "Muggleborns am I right? Top of the class too if the year list that arrived with your letters is anything to go by."

"I'm very proud of Aria," Kenneth jumped in, pulling Aria to his side. "I thought things might be a bit more difficult for her, being new to the wizarding world and all that, but she seems to have taken it as a personal challenge to keep up with her fellow students."

"And Hermione's never been a slacker," David Granger added. "I'm David and this is my wife Julia. We're Hermione's parents. You're name?"

" _Lucius Malfoy_ ," Mr. Malfoy enunciated.

"A pleasure to meet you," David said.

Arthur Weasley suddenly appeared behind Ron.

"It's getting rather stuffy in here," the man cried.

"Hello, Arthur," Mr. Malfoy drawled.

Mr. Weasley's smile dropped from his face.

"Lucius."

Suddenly, Aria felt as if she were in the middle of a battle she didn't want to be in the middle of. But before anything could further escalate spells flew over their heads, colliding with the books above, showering them in shredded paper and leather. Aria screamed, ducking and covering her head. Kenneth grabbed her, diving for cover behind a bookshelf. There were cracking sounds and more explosions as books and wood splintered and broke. People screamed. Aria tried to peak around the book case but her dad yanked her back. He peered around the edge before shoving Aria forward. A red sizzling curse hit the book case they were just behind, causing it to fall into a dozen pieces.

Crouching behind a fallen bookcase Aria managed to peak through the fallen books at the chaos within the store. Several people were on the ground, she couldn't see any of her friends, but she could see Draco and his father. Mr. Malfoy was bleeding heavily from a gash along a shoulder, the shoulder of his wand arm which he was using to battle against a tall dark cloaked figure. He had Draco tucked protectively against his other side, but it was clear that the blond aristocrat was losing steam as he stumbled, almost dropping his wand, and barely making a weak shield in time to keep the brunt of a spell from hitting him. Still, more blood appeared on Mr. Malfoy.

With a simple _Expelliarmus_ Mr. Malfoy was disarmed and the dark cloak figure descended onto the man, wrestling with him, eventually knocking him over and yanking Draco from his arms.

"Let me go!" Draco shouted, trying to dig into his robes for his wand. "Papa!"

Kenneth grabbed Aria's shoulders.

"Stay here," he ordered.

"What are going to do?"

"Just stay here. Take out your wand and do what you have to do."

Kenneth disappeared around another bookcase. Aria pulled out her wand, clutching it tightly, doing her best to focus on her classmate and her magic within her. She could feel it swirling, feels its agitation, yet it seemed that her magic was unwilling to respond further than what naturally would flow from her should she decide to cast a spell. Clenching her fists in frustration Aria turned her full attention back to the dark cloaked figure who'd finally managed to wrestle Draco still in his arms.

Only now Aria could see the man's face. Or what should have been his face. In its place was a gleaming metal mask, reminding Aria of a skull.

"Papa!" Draco screamed again.

Mr. Malfoy began crawling for his wand. The masked man kicked Mr. Malfoy's wounded shoulder, causing the man to yell in pain and clutch his shoulder.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's unsportsmanlike to kick a person when they're down?"

Aria's head snapped towards her dad who'd appeared just behind the masked figure. The man whirled around with his wand. Aria jumped to her feet, the first spell that came to her mind leaving her lips, but it shot past the man and hit a set of books. In the same moment the glint of steel flashed in her dad's hand and his fist collided with the man's stomach. The man gasped, dropping his wand, releasing Draco. Kenneth pulled Draco from the man's arms.

"Go with Aria!" Kenneth ordered. Draco shot towards Aria, leaped over the book case, and the two crouched together, clinging to each other's robes while peering over the wood at their father's.

The masked man lay on his back, legs and arms splayed out creating the illusion of a black pool around him. The gray handle of a knife stuck out of his abdomen as he gasped for breath once . . . twice . . . then no more.

Kenneth left the man where he lay, instead, crouching beside Mr. Malfoy who'd managed to get a hold of his wand. Mr. Malfoy pointed the wand at Kenneth, forcing the Muggle to raise his hands in defense.

"I just want to take a look at your wound," Kenneth said. "I'm not good at first aid or anything, but we've got to stop the bleeding."

"Where'd Draco?" Mr. Malfoy demanded.

"Do you think it's safe for him to come out?" Kenneth asked. Mr. Malfoy glanced around the destroyed bookshop, taking in the fact that they were the only ones within and nodded. Draco immediately popped up, running to his father. Mr. Malfoy wrapped Draco in a tight embrace. Aria followed close behind Draco, throwing her arms around her dad, aware of the tears that were flowing down her face.

"Are you okay?" Kenneth asked.

"I think so," Aria whispered. "You _stabbed_ someone!"

"Not for the first time," Kenneth muttered. Aria wasn't sure if she was meant to hear that.

"Can you make it out of the shop on your own?" Kenneth asked Mr. Malfoy, "or do you need help?"

Draco helped Mr. Malfoy to his feet. The man swayed.

"I just need some potions and a healer," Mr. Malfoy answered.

"Yes, but at this moment those are not here. Do you need my help getting help?"

Mr. Malfoy's eyes moved from Kenneth to Aria then back again, finally turning to look at his son who clutched at his robes, tears streaming down his own pale face. Mr. Malfoy gently wiped away Draco's tears with a gloved hand.

"Some help would not be remiss," Mr. Malfoy answered. "I believe a spell also got my leg, as well as my shoulder."

Kenneth slipped under Mr. Malfoy's good arm and, with Aria and Draco clearing a path of debris, walked Mr. Malfoy outside into the daylight where the chaos had also finished and where scarlet robed men and women raced about speaking with wizards and witches and securing several other black robed figures, their masks on the ground, sun shining off the polished metal.

"We need a healer!" Kenneth shouted, drawing several people's attention. A dark scarlet robed man hurried to their side and helped Kenneth lower Mr. Malfoy onto a crate. The man began waving his wand over Mr. Malfoy's wound.

"That'll keep you until you get to St. Mungos," the man told Mr. Malfoy.

"There's another masked man inside," Kenneth told the man. "Dead."

"Dead?" the man repeated. "What spell was used?"

"Knife," Kenneth answered. The man frowned. Kenneth clarified, "I'm a Muggle. I was taking my daughter school shopping."

A great murmur rose from the crowd and people began to point and stare.

"The Death Eater was trying to take my son, Auror Kingsley," Mr. Malfoy explained to the scarlet robed man.

"Auror?" Aria whispered to Draco.

"Law enforcement," Draco whispered back. "Father knows them from with work within the ministry."

"What's a Death Eater?" Aria asked. Draco's mouth open and closed for a moment.

"Followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Kingsley shouted orders at other aurors and minutes later the dead Death Eater was levitated out into the road to be placed beside his apprehended fellows. Everyone present stared at the knife.

"Get them back to the ministry," Kingsley ordered. Aurors took hold of the body and the apprehended criminals and with _cracks_ were gone.

"Taken down by a Muggle," Kingsley muttered, a chuckle escaping his lips. "So much for blood supremacy."

"Out of my _way_! I demand you let me through!"

The crowd parted to allow Abraxas Malfoy through. Draco hurried to wipe away any traces of his tears, but it was clear his grandfather had seen.

"Lord Malfoy," Kingsley greeted with a nod of his head. "It appears your grandson was almost kidnapped. I'm sure more details will be forthcoming once Mr. Malfoy has been looked at by a healer at St. Mungos."

"My family will be looked over at their home and you will visit when I say you can," Lord Malfoy snapped.

"I must insist on speaking with Mr. Malfoy at St. Mungos," Kingsley answered. "Of course, if this displeases you, you can always take it up with Madam Bones."

Whoever Madam Bones was, Lord Malfoy obviously didn't like her as his face attempted to twist into a scowl.

"I will also have you know, Lord Malfoy, that as it stands, your grandson and son were saved by the efforts of this gentleman here. What was your name, sir?"

"Kenneth Bourne."

"And you now owe him a Life Debt. He killed for your family."

"What's a Life Debt?" Kenneth asked. Lord Malfoy looked Kenneth up and down.

"Life Debts are void between Muggles and Wizards," Lord Malfoy said.

"Only if there is no one of magical blood in the family," Kingsley answered. "And he has a witch in the family."

Now it seemed like everyone in the alley was staring at Aria. She felt her face grown warm and she managed to looked around through her eyelashes. People were whispering. Why was Auror Kingsley announcing all of this to everyone? What was a Life Debt?

"Impossible!" Lord Malfoy cried.

"What's impossible, Lord Malfoy?" Mr. Weasley appeared at that moment, breaking through the crowd where his wife and family were with the Grangers and Harry. They all looked shaken and disheveled, but unharmed, much to Aria's thankfulness. "That someone killed for your family or that a Muggle killed a wizard without any form of magic?"

"What's a Life Debt?" Kenneth demanded.

"I will not acknowledge a Life Debt between my family and that of a Muggle," Lord Malfoy stated, "even if his daughter is a witch."

"You would be so dishonorable?" Mr. Weasley asked. "You would turn your back on the traditions you hold in such high esteem?"

"Can someone please answer my question?" Kenneth cried. Aria's neck hurt from her swiveling her head back and forth between the men.

"I will acknowledge the Life Debt," Mr. Malfoy stated, earning everyone's attention. The alley around them went silent. Aria watched Kingsley's eyes widen and then turned to watch Lord Malfoy's mouth turn down in the harshest frown she'd ever had the displeasure of seeing.

Mr. Malfoy placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, giving the boy a squeeze before forcing himself to his feet. He lifted his wand.

"You can't do that," Lord Malfoy insisted. "I'm the Head of Family."

"But the Life Debt directly involved me and my son," Mr. Malfoy replied. "Therefore I can acknowledge it and I will acknowledge it." He ignored his father for Aria.

"Miss Bourne," he said, "as the only magical being in your family, you represent your family in the wizarding world. Therefore you are the only one who can accept this Life Debt."

"Which is what?" Aria asked.

"It means the Malfoys owe you," Mr. Weasley answered. "Your dad not only protected the Malfoys, but he killed in defense of them, and in this world that's significant. You can demand almost anything from the Malfoys with a Life Debt. It doesn't even have to be today. You can wait years."

That sounded . . . weird. But it also sounded like something she could use later if she needed. Aria glanced at Mr. Malfoy whose intense expression told her that he wanted to acknowledge this Life Debt. Mr. Weasley and this total stranger was all for Mr. Malfoy's intentions, as was everyone in the gathered crowd. And the only one who didn't seem all for the idea was Lord Malfoy . . .

Aria pulled out of her wand.

"This won't get me in trouble for underaged magic?" she asked. Titters ran through the crowd.

"What a darling!" one older lady cried.

"No, it won't," Kingsley assured her.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy will say his piece and I'll help you with yours," Mr. Weasley said to Aria. "It's all about intention with this particular piece of magic so the words technically don't count, but it's best to be more formal in situations like this."

Mr. Malfoy touched the tip of his wand to Aria's.

"I, Lucius Malfoy, do hereby declare that there exists a Life Debt between the Malfoy Family and the Bourne Family. May I fulfill this debt with honor and worth befitting my status as a wizard."

A golden string of light sprung from Mr. Malfoy's wand with the barest of sounds, wrapping around the two touching wand tips. Mr. Weasley whispered in Aria's ear her response.

"I, Aria Bourne, on behalf of the Bourne Family, accepts the declaration of a Life Debt between the Malfoy Family and mine. May I be honorable in asking for it to be fulfilled as befitting my status as a witch."

Another golden string of light sprung up, this time from her wand, wrapping around the wand tips. The strings connected, flared, and then dissolved.

Mr. Malfoy tucked his wand away.

"I should get my shoulder properly tended to," he said. "Come, Draco. We must get to St. Mungos. Auror Kingsley, I shall see you there?"

"Of course, Mr. Malfoy."

Mr. Malfoy grabbed Draco and with a _crack_ the two disappeared. Kenneth jumped.

"I'm never going to get used to that," he muttered, springing out of the way as the Weasley children, Harry, and Hermione descended on Aria each of them talking a mile a minute. Aria tried to keep up with what each of them were saying, but couldn't. She yanked her robes over her head.

"Enough!" Percy cried. "You're bothering her."

"Sorry," her friends muttered. Aria peeked out and saw them look contrite, especially Ginny and Hermione. The twins didn't look one bit sorry.

"I think we're going to have to finish our shopping on another day," Mrs. Weasley said. "Or you can just owl order your supplies."

With groans the group made their way back to The Leaky Cauldron where they said their good-byes and Flooed away.

Snape glanced up from a book as Aria and Kenneth fell out of the fireplace.

"Back so soon?" he questioned.

"Wait until you hear what happened," Kenneth said. Snape waved his wand and a tea service came floating out into the parlor.

"Do tell."


	7. Missing Friends

**I do not own Harry Potter!**

"The wizarding word is mad!"

"That is the understatement of the century."

Aria watched her dad spin around to glare at Snape as the professor calmly removed books from his living room's bookshelves and stored them in a trunk. She and her dad had returned from Diagon Alley with only half her things and a story to tell, only to find the man packing to leave in the morning for Hogwarts. Apparently Snape had professor-things to do.

"I don't see why you're so upset, Kenneth," Snape continued. "This is advantageous for your daughter who, might I add, is at a disadvantage due to her blood status. People will try and deny it, and we've certainly done better for half-bloods and muggleborns for the past hundred years or so, but Aria is in a house dominated by purebloods. The fact that one of the richest and more powerful wizarding British families owes her a Life Debt will make others think twice before drawing her ire against them."

"My what?" Aria asked.

"Your displeasure," Snape clarified.

"But what exactly is a Life Debt?" Kenneth demanded. "Besides something very important and traditional."

Snape finished placing books in one trunk, snapping the lid close.

"A Life Debt means that the Malfoys owe you up to the same amount of protection you gave them," Snape explained.

"Same that I gave them?" Kenneth repeated. "Aria could ask them to murder someone for her?"

"No you idiot!" Snape glared at Kenneth like he was a Gryffindor who'd just answered a potions questions with a transfiguration answer. "You killed a man in self-defense _and_ in defense of the Malfoys. That means that Aria can call on the Malfoys for protection and, if they end up killing someone in the same fashion while fulfilling the Life Debt, then they don't suffer jail time."

"What would I need the Malfoys to protect me from?" Aria asked.

"I have no idea," Snape replied. "There's no time limit on a Life Debt per say. If Lucius were to die before fulfilling the Life Debt then the debt would transfer to Draco because Draco was also involved in the whole incident. If Draco then dies without fulfilling the debt then the debt disappears. No one else was involved."

"What if I died first?" Aria asked. "Before getting the debt fulfilled?"

"Then the Life Debt is null and void because Life Debts cannot be created between a Muggle and a magical person," Snape answered. "But since I don't see any of you three passing away in the next few years, I wouldn't worry too much on it. Just bide your time. Don't waste the Life Debt. You're a Slytherin. Practice your cunning. And if you need advice, come see me. I'd hate to see you waste your Life Debt on some trivial twelve-year-old thing."

Aria felt like she should be insulted, but decided that Snape was just trying to be helpful in his own way.

"You'll make sure Aria's safe this year?" Kenneth asked Snape. "No trolls or ancient alchemists or Dark Lords this year?"

"I will endeavor to ensure she arrivals safely back to you in one piece," Snape answered. "Especially now that I know you're capable of killing."

* * *

Her send off to school went off with much less fuss than last year, though several people on the street did bake her goodies. Melinda sent Robert over with her walnut cookies and Robert, Tommy, and Samuel all gave her instructions on how to deal with annoying people. Which made Kenneth chase them off. This time he drove her to London.

"Now, I don't want any owls concerning trolls of Dark Lords or you running off without thinking," Kenneth lectured. "The only owls I want are about normal preteen stuff. Schoolwork, terrible professors, boys . . . actually I'll give you advice about that last one right now. No."

"No what?"

"No boys," Kenneth stressed. "Focus on your schoolwork. That's the most important thing right now. You can think about boys later. Like when I'm dead."

* * *

Aria spotted Hermione first on the platform and the two snagged a compartment together before returning to the platform to say final good-byes to their parents and direct their friends to the compartment. As the platform's crowd grew, Aria noticed how many people stopped and pointed towards her and Kenneth, whispering to each other. She had hoped that the fervor over Diagon Alley and the Life Debt would have died down, but apparently not.

When she arrived on the train Daphne pulled out a _Daily Prophet_ from the day after the Diagon Alley attack, showing it to Aria. The headlines read: ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING OF MALFOY HEIR and HOUSE OF MALFOY NOW OWES LIFE DEBT TO MUGGLEBORN!

"This is ridiculous!" Aria cried.

"It's only ridiculous because the entire world's decided to act like it is," Theo said as Hermione read the articles over Aria's shoulders. "The Malfoys are usually the ones collecting on debts, not the other way around."

"But it can't be that odd," Aria said. "I'm sure loads of Purebloods have had to give Life Debts to Muggleborns or even Halfbloods in the past."

"Keyword _past_ ," Hermione stressed. "If this were so normal in modern times, I doubt you'd have made the headlines."

Aria shoved the newspaper away.

"Let's talk about something else," she said as the train whistle blew.

"Like how Harry and Ron haven't arrived?" Theo questioned, standing up and peering out into the train's corridor. "Even though I'm certain that I saw a those terrible twins rush by a few minutes ago?"

Aria and Hermione glanced out the train window but couldn't see their parents or anyone else of their friend group in the crowd. The train started to pull away.

"Maybe we should go looking for them," Daphne said. "Maybe they found Neville or something." Neville appeared in the doorway of the compartment at that moment, red faced and breathing hard. He dropped his trunk on the floor and sank onto it.

"I thought I'd never find you!" he cried.

"Is Harry or Ron with you?" Aria asked.

"No," Neville gasped out. "I thought they'd be with you. I passed the rest of the Weasleys on my way here."

The train had already cleared the station.

"Well," Theo finally said. "This is not good."

"What should we do?" Hermione asked.

"We should probably tell someone who would know what to do," Daphne answered. "Like a prefect."

"Like Percy?" Aria suggested. "See that it is his brother who may or may not be on the train."

"Why don't we go _looking_ for Harry and Ron before deciding that they haven't made it on the train," Neville said. "In case, you know, Malfoy kidnapped them or something."

"Draco would be dead by now," Daphne answered.

"Words of wisdom from a Gryffindor," Theo muttered. "Do wonders never cease?" Neville shoved Theo off his seat.

"Let's split the train," Hermione suggested. "We girls will start from the caboose and work our way back here, and you boys start from the front."

"I don't think that's split evenly," Theo said.

"Doesn't matter," Daphne stated, shoving Theo and Neville out of the compartment.

But searching the train did nothing. Aria, Hermione, and Daphne even checked the girl's lavatory just in case Ron and Harry were playing pranks or some other anomaly. Even when they returned to the compartment, meeting up with Neville and Theo, Ron and Harry were still missing.

"I think it's time we talked to Percy," Aria said.

Find Percy proved just as difficult. He wasn't in the prefect compartment.

"He's gone on his rounds," Doris Watership, the seventh year Gryffindor prefect told them. "Always going before he needs to go. I think he takes being a prefect too seriously."

"And you are the exact opposite," the male seventh year Slytherin prefect, Ian Melbourne, said. "That's why you didn't make Head Girl this year."

"And what's your excuse?" Doris snapped.

The second years left the bickering prefects and their peers to referee.

"Maybe we should go to the twins?" Daphne suggested.

"What will Fred and George be able to do?" Theo asked. "Prank Ron and Harry onto the train?" The second years made their way back to their compartment, stopping briefly when they met the trolley cart with snacks and sweets. Daphne bought Aria a Caldron Cake which she happily munched on until they arrived back at their compartment.

Only then did an idea pop into Aria's head.

"I think I can find Percy!" she cried.

"How?" Neville asked.

"Leave it to me," she said, shoving the half eaten Caldron Cake into her school trunk and dashing off down the train. She was certain she'd seen a group of Gryffindor upper years in a compartment.

"What do you want, Snake?" one of them sneered when she knocked on their open compartment door.

"Don't be mean," another snapped.

"I'm looking for Oliver Wood," Aria stated.

"What do you want with Wood?" the first Gryffindor demanded. "Going to poison him for your Slytherin pals?"

"I don't like flying," Aria answered. "I just want to talk to Oliver."

"He has a compartment in the next car," one of the girls, Aria thought her name might be Angelia Johnson, "that we Quidditch players usually hang out in but he's making new Quidditch plays and no one wants to be around that sort of thing this early in the school year. Compartment ten."

Aria hurried to the next train car, pausing in front of the compartment when she saw that the blinds were drawn. Why would they be drawn? She tried to the handle to the door, discovering it locked. Why would the door be locked?

"Oliver?" she knocked. "Oliver?"

No one answered. She knocked again, louder.

The door yanked open. Oliver Wood poked his head out, hair standing on end and t-shirt rumpled, as if Aria had just disturbed his nap.

"What do you want?" he growled. Aria crossed her arms. No need to snap at her.

"I'm looking for Percy," she said. "Have you seen him?"

"What do you want with Percy?" Oliver demanded.

"To talk," Aria answered. "Have you seen him?"

"I'm here." The door opened wider, revealing Percy, his clothes just as rumpled as Oliver's. Had they both been taking naps?

"Ron and Harry aren't on the train," Aria told him.

"What?" Percy finished fixing his gold and crimson tie. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we can't find them at all," Aria said. "We've looked all over the train."

"Damn," Percy muttered. "All right, you head back to your compartment. I'll deal with this. I'll see you later, Ollie." Percy disappeared down the car's corridor leaving Aria and Oliver to stare at each other.

"You have the worse timing," Oliver finally said.

"Worse timing?" Aria questioned. "Are you that tired?"

Oliver stared at her with a most curious expression, as if he were confused and yet not. He settled on patting her head before sauntering down the corridor away from her. Aria glared after him. Sixth years!


	8. Magical Block

**I do not own Harry Potter!**

When the train pulled into Hogsmeade, there was still no word on Harry or Ron. Through the throngs of upper classmen, Aria barely made out the three heads of the Weasley brothers as they ushered Ginny off to the waiting boats for first years before leaping into the first carriage and taking off towards the castle.

"Do you think Harry and Ron are all right?" Hermione asked as the friends crammed onto a carriage. Aria gasped as the carriage began to roll on its own.

"Hopefully," Daphne said. "Hopefully Ron's Weasley-Gryffindor heritage didn't decide to rear its head."

"He's less impulsive than Fred and George," Theo pointed out. "It'd take a bit for _that_ family trait to rear its head, I think. Unless, of course, he's following Aria after a deranged professor."

Aria hit her friend's shoulder.

Their fears were put to rest when they entered the Great Hall and found Ron and Harry already sitting at the Slytherin table, Professor Snape towering over them as if finishing a lecture. Though, since Ron and Harry were eyeing each other trying not to grin, Aria doubted it had been too serious of a lecture.

"Where were you?" Hermione cried, dashing over to the boys and throwing her arms around the first one she came to, Harry. "We were worried!"

"I'm certain Messrs Potter and Weasley would be happy to inform you about their adventure at a later date, Miss Granger," Snape said, voice just off of snapping. "However, this is the Welcoming Feast and Sorting Ceremony so I'm afraid you'll have to suffer sitting with your over-enthusiastic housemates tonight."

"Of course, Professor," Hermione answered. She pushed Daphne and Theo aside, grabbed Neville who had been using his friends as a shield between him and the potions master, and dragged him over to the Gryffindor table.

"Ginny's going to be sorted!" Ron cried. "I'm excited. I'm actually hoping she'll make Slytherin."

"What are her chances, though?" Blaise asked, finally joining the conversation. "I mean, you are an anomaly."

"Personally I don't see why more of us haven't gotten sorted outside of Gryffindor," Ron said. "Percy's certainly not like the others. He's more Ravenclaw than anything."

"Maybe my dad's right," Aria said. "Maybe we all have traits of the four houses in us and the Hat is able to see parts of our personality that we can't see."

"Ginny could really go either way," Ron told them. "No one messes with Ginny."

"No one messes with Ginny 'cause she's got four older brothers, one a prefect," Harry pointed out."

"No," Ron argued, "no one messes with Ginny because she's Ginny."

The doors to the Great Hall opened. Professor McGonagall marched in with a crowd of first years trailing behind her, staring in awe at all around them.

"That was us last year," Aria whispered to Daphne.

"Were we that small?" Daphne asked.

"We're still that small," Aria pointed out.

Amongst the sea of first years it was easy to spot Ginny Weasley, her red hair flamed against the others. She whispered with a girl whose blonde hair was as white as Draco's, though she was much prettier and kept glancing about with the air of someone who was daydreaming.

"Your sister's made a friend," Theo said to Ron.

"She a Malfoy?" Aria asked. Down the table Draco glanced their way as if knowing his name had been spoken.

"No," Ron said. "Well . . . maybe distantly. Most of the pureblood families are related to each other in one form or another. Anyway, that's Luna Lovegood. Her family lives a few miles from us. She and Ginny have played together occasionally though Mr. Lovegood likes to keep Luna close so she doesn't get out much."

McGonagall stopped beside the stool with the Sorting Hat. As the hat began to sing Aria turned back to Ron and Harry.

"Okay, spill," she whispered. "Before the sorting actually starts. What happened?"

"Ron and I were the last of the Weasley group to try and get onto the platform," Harry explained. "When we tried to run through we . . . literally ran into a brick wall. I thought the Muggle station master was going to throw us out!"

"So you couldn't get through the wall?" Blaise asked.

"Are you sure you ran into the right one?" Daphne questioned. She shrugged off the glares from Ron and Harry.

"Anyway, Ron wanted to take his dad's car to Hogwarts," Harry said.

"That's a long drive," Aria stated. Harry and Ron shared a look that had each of them grinning.

"But I convinced him that we should wait at the car for his parents," Harry continued. "I figured we needed to wait to see if Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could get off the platform. Eventually they found us and when we explained the situation to them they contacted the school who then sent Professor Snape to the Leaky Cauldron to collect us. By the time we arrived at Hogwarts Percy had contacted the school via the professor-on-duty on the train. We thought he'd tell you that we were already here."

"No," Theo answered. The second years turned to the Gryffindor table to glare at Percy who was deep in a whispered conversation with Oliver.

"Well, we're here," Ron said. "And that's what matters."

The Slytherin table erupted in cheers. The second years turned their attention to their newest Slytherin, Astoria Greengrass. Daphne heaved a sigh, joined the clapping, and sent her sister a smile. From there their conversation dwindled in order to better watch the Sorting.

When Ginny Weasley was the last one to be sorted, Fred and George decided it would be a good idea to stand up on the benches of Gryffindor's table, dragging Percy with them. Professor McGonagall paused before setting the Hat on Ginny's head to glare at the Weasleys. Ron glanced at Professor Snape who glared at him too.

"Looks like you won't be standing," Harry laughed. Ron glanced at his brothers who were poised to begin cheering, though Percy looked more poised to hide under the table than anything.

The Hat settled on Ginny's head and for a moment nothing happened. The student body could hear the Hat hum and haw as it tried to make its decision. Another minute passed. Fred and George glared at the hat. Percy purposely ignored his brothers.

"Is she going to Hat Stall?" Theo asked Ron. The boy shrugged.

"Maybe she won't go to either Gryffindor or Slytherin," Aria said. "Maybe she'll be a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff."

"Well . . . Mum's side of the family has had a few Ravenclaws," Ron conceded. "But I don't know if she would really fit in with them, knowing what they're like in our year." For another minute the Hat did not say anything. Professor McGonagall's eyebrows rose to display astonishment. Even the other professors were whispering to each other.

Eventually the Hat moved. Ron perked up as did the other Weasleys over at Gryffindor.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Ron jumped to his feet even as Fred and George dramatically jumped off the benches to sit sullenly with their friends. Percy merely folded his arms with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Go, Ginny!" Ron cried, starting the clapping. Aria, Harry, and their friends joined in welcoming Ginny as she removed the Sorting Hat and handed it back to Professor McGonagall before making her way towards the politely clapping table. She grinned at her brother, slipping between another first year boy and Theo.

"Welcome to the most distinguished of all Houses," Theo greeted. Ginny's face began to turn as red as her hair, even as she grinned at Ron. Aria glanced towards the Gryffindor table where the twins were glumly staring at the Slytherins. Percy was back to chatting with his year mates.

"The Hat couldn't decide for the longest time," Ginny told them. "It said I could go in either Gryffindor or Slytherin and eventually decided that Slytherin would be the best house to help me grow to my potential."

Headmaster Dumbledore rose from his seat and with a wave of a hand had garnered all the attention in the Great Hall.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," the elderly man said, smiling at the first years. "It is always a delight to have you all return to your place here within these hallowed halls. Just a few announcements before we begin our feast. Please remember that the Forbidden Forest is _forbidden_." His eyes caught Fred and George and the two grinned at each other.

"A complete list," the headmaster continued, "of banned items can be found in Mr. Filches' office. Please acquaint yourself with these items."

"Who would purposefully go to Mr. Filches' office?" Aria whispered to Daphne.

"Other than to play pranks?" Daphne questioned.

"And lastly, as I'm sure you've all noticed, we have a distinguished Master amongst our professors this year."

"I thought all our professors were distinguished in their fields," Aria heard an older Slytherin say. "Professor Snape's the youngest potions master in Europe, if not the world."

"And Professor McGonagall's no slouch," Marcus Flint agreed. "Don't tell her I said that."

Truth be told, Aria had been too busy chatting with her friends and listening to the Sorting Hat that she hadn't even glanced at the Head Table to see if there were any new faces. Now she did and when she spotted the new face her stomach dropped.

"You can't be serious," she muttered.

"Please welcome," Dumbledore said, "our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart!" The blond poof that she had briefly glimpsed at Flourish and Blotts before all hell had broken loose stood from his between Professors Flitwick and Sprout, beaming as always with his perfect white teeth and with a flourish of his cornflower colored cloak.

"Hermione'll be excited," Ron said.

"I'm not excited," Aria stated. "I'm gonna have to listen to her go on and on about him. I bet she'll draw hearts over her Is now or something."

She looked over the heads of the Ravenclaws towards her Gryffindor friends. Neville was in deep conversation with Dean and Seamus while Hermione was staring dreamily at Lockhart along with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. She would have to mention that to her friend and hopefully the idea of being associated in such terms with Lavender and Parvati would make her see sense.

Around the Great Hall Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were not the only ones gazing longingly at Lockhart. Many of the older girls, even some Slytherins, and several boys were eyeing the man. Aria sighed, her eyes drifting up the Gryffindor table to Percy where he and Oliver where whispering to each other, a book now open in front of them. She felt the funny tingling inside her stomach she had been getting whenever she saw or thought about Percy. He probably could fight off a werewolf better than Lockhart any day. And not be so pompous about it either.

Food appeared on the tables, drawing Aria's attention away from Percy and Oliver. She took a moment to breath in the aromas that wafted up from the platters before serving herself.

"Ron, what's this story you wouldn't tell us in your letters?" Blaise asked. "The one about your and Theo." The two boys grinned at each other.

"It was brilliant in hindsight," Theo answered. "Though at the moment it was one of the most frightening things ever."

"Theo wanted me to come over to his house and play chess," Ron told them.

"Because one isn't meant to have fun during the summer," Daphne drawled. Ron and Theo glared at her.

"But my mum said that I was not going to go to Duran Hill, that's where Theo lives, and that if he wanted to play chess he would come to the Burrow and 'his father will just have to deal with it.'"

"So Ron quoted his mother in his letter to me," Theo picked up the story. "And I told my father what it said. Well, you would have thought my father had never been insulted in his life. Blustered about for several long minutes before Floo calling Mrs. Weasley. I couldn't hear what was being said, but Ron said there was a shouting match."

"And you don't want my mum screeching at you," Ron said. Harry shook his head. Obviously having spent the summer with the Weasleys the dark haired boy must have heard the woman screech once or twice.

"Apparently," Ron continued, "Mum and Mr. Nott are second or third cousins on my mum's mother's side. Something ridiculous like that. Anyway Mr. Nott accused my mum of trying to make Theo a Muggle-lover and my mum accused Mr. Nott of trying to make me a Blood Purist and they went back and forth for Merlin knows how long until I came to Mum and suggested we meet somewhere public which sent Mr. Nott into another tantrum. Something about not wanting to be seen publically with 'riff-raff' and my mum bringing up several incidents when they were children and _eventually_ Mr. Nott agreed to renting a private room at the Leaky Cauldron."

"It was one of the weirdest things ever," Theo added. "Father and Mrs. Weasley just sat there glaring at each other the whole time. Tom even came up with free food and drinks. I think he wanted to make sure we were all still alive even though he was sworn to secrecy."

"But Theo and I managed to get in three games," Ron said. "We each won one game and stalemated the last. This Christmas I want to play in the Entry Tournament for the Chess Guild of the United Kingdom. You win membership and don't have to pay dues for two years!"

"Do they take kids?" Daphne asked.

"They take whoever is worthy," Theo said. "Maybe I'll enter too. Worse thing that happens if that we don't get in and we try again as we get older."

Dinner disappeared and dessert popped up in its place. Aria scooped fruit into a bowl, decorating the sweet food with a healthy dose of Devonshire cream.

"So, Harry," Aria murmured, making sure to keep her voice low so that those sitting away from her and Harry wouldn't hear. "Why'd you go to the Weasley's over the summer?"

"Well after with what happened at Professor Snape's house, I didn't think going there was going to work again and since the Weasleys are predominately Gryffindor, and Dumbledore likes Gryffindors, I thought that perhaps it would be a good place to go. Of course, after you and Hermione's little visit my summer went by better than before, but my relatives are still—,"

"Hold it!" Aria cried. "When did you come to Professor Snape's house and why didn't you visit me? Also, when did Hermione and I visit you this summer?" Harry let his fork with treacle tart drop to his plate. He turned fully to face Aria.

"I came to Cokesworth two to three weeks into the holidays," Harry answered. "You found me asking for directions. You were finishing your lunch delivery for the day."

Aria frowned at him. Harry frowned at her.

"And then a few days later you and Hermione visited me," Harry continued. "You two introduced yourselves to the most influential ladies in the neighborhood in front of my aunt and uncle. We went for ice cream."

"I . . . I'm sorry, Harry," Aria said. "I don't remember any of this." Her eyes widened. "I got a concussion when I was mugged! Maybe I lost my memories or something like that. We can talk to Professor Snape."

The look on Harry's face made Aria abandon her fruit.

"What is it?" she asked. "You've gone pale."

"I'll be right back," Harry said. He got up, crossing the Great Hall to the Gryffindor table. He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and the two began to speak to quiet tones.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Aria answered, poking her strawberries, her attention though on Harry and Hermione. Hermione shook her head and Harry made his way back to the Slytherin table, slipping back into his seat.

"Harry?" Aria questioned.

"Later," Harry muttered. He stared at his treacle tart for the rest of dessert, refusing to say anything else for the rest of dessert.

As the houses were dismissed to their beds, Madam Pomfrey appeared in front of the second year Slytherins.

"Miss Bourne," she said, "tomorrow I want you to report to the infirmary first thing after breakfast. Healer Smith would like to see how your magical core is doing. If you happen to have a class after breakfast I'll see that you're excused from it."

"Okay," Aria said, hurrying to catch up with her friends. Maybe she could ask the healer to look at her head too, especially since it appeared that she might be forgetting things that had happened to her.

* * *

The Hogwarts infirmary was as bright and spacey as Aria remembered. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office to greet her, followed closely by Healer Smith.

"Are you missing any classes?" Healer Smith asked her.

"Just Herbology," Aria said. "With the Gryffindors. I doubt we'll go over much today and if we do, I'll just get my notes from Neville."

"Yes, I heard Mr. Longbottom was a genius at herbology," Madam Pomfrey said. "It runs in the Longbottom family I believe."

Aria settled on the edge of a bed and let Healer Smith ran his wand over her. She felt the tingling of magic settle over her. Healer Smith frowned. He waved his wand again. She felt the tingle again.

"Is your magic reacting to mine?" Healer Smith asked.

"It's tingling," Aria answered.

"Just tingling?" the healer asked. Aria nodded. The healer's frown deepened.

"Tell me what happened over the summer," he said. "Anything out of the ordinary happen?"

"Yes," Aria replied. "I got mugged."

"Mugged?" Healer Smith and Madam Pomfrey both seemed confused.

"It's when someone robs you on the street," Aria answered. "I got a concussion."

"Oh my!" Madam Pomfrey almost pulled out her wand, but deferred to Healer Smith when he stepped forward, waving his wand around Aria's head with a muttered spell. Aria felt her head grow warm.

"Did they catch the dread thief?" Madam Pomfrey answered.

"Yes," Aria said. "He's currently serving his few months in jail. His name is Mundungus Fletcher."

Healer Smith had no reaction to that name but it was obvious Madam Pomfrey knew who this man was, just like Professor Snape. Anger flashed across her eyes and she all but bared her teeth.

"I wonder what the DMLE will think when they hear about this!" she muttered.

"Why?" Healer Smith asked.

"Fletcher is a wizard if ill-repute. I curse the day I ever met him," Pomfrey replied. "You must have seen him, running around Diagon Alley trying to sell wares."

"Oh. Bald man? That's him? Yes, I think a nice tip to the DMLE would do that man good." Healer Smith sighed, eyeing Aria up and down.

"I wouldn't think a wizard such as Fletcher would be powerful enough to do it, but appears he must have," the man muttered.

"Done what?" Aria asked.

"Someone's put a block on you," Healer Smith explained.

"A what?" Aria questioned, just as Madam Pomfrey gasped and surged forward, her wand working double time to determine if she cast her own spells on Aria.

"A black," Healer Smith explained, "is illegal and dangerous, especially if cast on a child whose core is still developing. And since yours is already advanced and still growing . . . ." the two medical professionals looked grim. Aria felt fear curdle in her stomach.

"What will happen to me?" she asked.

"Nothing," Healer Smith replied. "I can tell the block hasn't been on that long because you don't seem to be suffering any affects from it. You would be feeling _off_ , and your magic would have trouble producing itself."

"Well . . ." Aria drawled, "this summer, the other weird thing that happened, was the attack in Diagon Alley."

"Yes, I had heard you were a part of it."

"My magic didn't jump to protect me," Aria said. "Like last year. And I would have let it, I wouldn't have held back. But it was . . . almost like it _didn't_ want to come out on its own. I thought maybe I was too scared and somehow my magic had gotten scared too. That sounds silly—,"

"No, traumatic experiences can do that to both a person and their magic," Healer Smith said. "But usually in people who have control of their magic, like adults, but a child's magic is more wild and unpredictable. Your magic, at least, should have responded."

"What about Malfoy's?" Aria asked.

"I cannot speak for him as I'm not his healer. I can theorize why his accidental magic didn't manifest, but a theory only does so much. Now, why don't we get that block off you? You might feel strange and I don't know how you'll react so it's best if you lay down."

Aria slid onto her back. Healer Smith traced a line in the air above her the length of Aria's body, chanting in Latin for several minutes. Something inside her began pulling. Gasping, Aria closed her eyes and focused on her magic. Something was pulling on it, not wanting to leave. It was black and sludge like and she was surprised she had not seen it any time she had meditated this summer. It was ugly and felt like a disease. Ruthlessly she willed her magic to fight it, aided by the magic joining in the fight from Healer Smith.

The sludge gave fight, it was strong. Madam Pomfrey's voice joined Healer Smith's, adding another attacker to the black sludge.

Suddenly, with a _pop_ that was only heard in Aria's head, the black sludge released Aria's magic, disappearing all together. Aria cried out as her magic surged forward, suddenly free from its prison, spilling out of her hands and into the infirmary, shaking beds and rattling windows and cabinets.

Aria opened her eyes, panting. Healer Smith and Madam Pomfrey were also panting, sweat glistening on their brows.

"A Pepper-Up Potion?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Healer Smith nodded. The woman stumbled over to a medicine cabinet, pulling out three vials.

"I thought . . . that was . . . only used for colds," Aria gasped out, her entire body aching as her magic settled down, disappearing back within her. She could feel it swirling inside her soul, it felt happy and like it was singing, if magic could do such things.

She tried to sit up, but found herself weary and almost unable to prop herself up on her elbow. She also discovered that she was soaked in her own sweat.

"It is," the mediwitch agreed, "but it's also good in small doses as a pick-me-up for magical exhaustion. And that is what we all have."

Aria took the vial and dutifully swallowed, shivering as steam escaped out her ears.

"I don't think Mundungus Fletcher put the block on Miss Bourne," Pomfrey said to Healer Smith. "The man is almost as inept at magic as our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"Regardless, I will have to report it," Healer Smith said. "If he didn't do it, he may know who did. I cannot help but think him attacking Miss Bourne isn't as random as we want to believe it is, not when an illegal block has been found and removed from her. A block that took almost twenty minutes to remove, Poppy! Twenty minutes!"

"I know, Terry," Pomfrey snapped. She took a breath and said, more calmly, "I know. I will report to Headmaster Dumbledore, and Professors McGonagall and Snape." She turned to Aria, pushing Aria's backpack against the bedside table and pulling the covers from under her, pulling them over her.

"You rest," she said, "you're excused from today's classes."

"What? The first day?" Aria cried.

"You're in no condition to go anywhere. I want to monitor you. Twenty minute, Miss Bourne!"

"You keep saying that, Madam. But what's the big deal?"

"It should never take more than five to remove a block," Pomfrey explained. "Or more than one healer of Smith's caliber. I was almost ready to Snape or Dumbledore to come help! Rest now. That's it."

Aria decided it was better to not resist the drooping of her eyelids and allowed the mediwitch's soft voice to lull her to sleep. She would ask more questions when she next woke.


	9. Beginning of Trouble

**Thank you for all your reviews! As always, I don't own Harry Potter.**

"Well?" Hermione demanded, barely giving Aria enough time to register that she was still in the infirmary and now her friends were gathered around her bed. "What have you done now?"

"Why must you assume I've done something?" Aria asked, pushing herself into a sitting position. Harry fluffed up the thin hospital pillow, making Aria a comfortable back rest.

"Because you wouldn't be in the infirmary missing the first day of classes if you hadn't done something," Hermione replied.

"If you're gonna be insulting, I'm gonna go back to sleep."

"No!" Hermione and Harry settled on either side of Aria.

"Where's the others?" Aria asked.

"They're gonna come later," Harry answered. "We left Daphne to supervise Ron and Theo's 'chess debate.' So, what happened? It's the first day of classes. How is it that you've now been check in?"

Aria glanced towards Madam Pomfrey's office. She motioned Harry and Hermione closer.

"Madam Pomfrey and Healer Smith had to remove a block from me," she whispered. "A block on my magic."

"So . . . someone blocked you from being able to use it?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Aria said. "Healer Smith thinks that's why my magic didn't do anything to protect me this summer at Diagon Alley when we were attacked. It took him _and_ Madam Pomfrey twenty minutes to remove it and afterwards all three of us had magical exhaustion. Pomfrey says it shouldn't ever take more than one person five minutes to remove a block. Healer Smith says it's very dangerous and highly illegal."

"Why'd someone want to block your magic?" Hermione questioned. Aria shrugged.

Madam Pomfrey bustled out of her office at that moment, shooing Hermione and Harry to another bed so that she could run a diagnostic spell over Aria. She sighed and handed Aria another Pepper-Up Potion.

"Since classes are done for the day, you may go," she said.

"I slept the whole day?" Aria cried. Would she be able to sleep later that night?

"You had magical exhaustion," Madam Pomfrey reminded her. "From having a very strong block on you. If you feel as if you won't be able to sleep tonight speak to Professor Snape. He will have properly dosed vials of Dreamless Sleep."

Aria slid out of bed, found her shoes, grabbed her backpack, and escaped the infirmary with Harry and Hermione. Hermione split off to drop her things off at Gryffindor tower with the promise to meet them down by the lake in an hour so that they could bask in the warm evening before dinner.

Entering the Slytherin common room Aria and Harry were hailed by Daphne, ending the 'debate' Ron and Theo were having over a chess board. Blaise looked up from his spot on the couch, rearranging himself until there was room for Harry and Aria to sit.

"So . . . what happened?" Daphne demanded. "Why'd Madam Pomfrey keep you in the infirmary all day?"

"Somehow someone put a block on my magic," Aria answered.

The small murmurings from the older students in the common room stopped. Aria glanced around to see everyone staring at her.

"A _block_?" Prudence cried from where she had been chatting with her sixth year roommates. "Someone put a magical block on you?"

"And it took Pomfrey and Healer Smith twenty minutes to get it off," Aria replied. "I had magical exhaustion and Madam Pomfrey wanted me to sleep it off."

"That's illegal!" Theo cried.

"What? Sleeping?"

Theo glared at her. "I meant the block."

"That's sick," someone behind Aria piped up. "Even if you are a Muggleborn, that's just sick, blocking the magic."

"I think that was a compliment," Aria muttered.

"You don't get it," Prudence said, "there are some things in the wizarding world that are taboo. We learn what they are to avoid them. Blocking a person's magic, especially a child's, is one of them. It's illegal because it can kill. Basically, Aria, someone tried to murder you. Slowly, but surely, someone tried to kill you."

"Me?" Aria squeaked.

"Now you're scaring her," someone snapped at Prudence. Aria thought his name was Martin and that he was a sixth year too.

"Who'd want to kill me?" Aria cried. "I'm a nobody!"

"Of course," Blaise drawled, "that's why everyone knows your name."

"Not everyone knows my name."

"At Hogwarts we know you because you're the only Muggleborn in Slytherin. In the rest of the country, because the Malfoys owe you a Life Debt. Everyone knows who you are, Aria." Blaise went back to his text book.

"You're not very encouraging!" Aria snapped. She stomped out of the common room, tearing off her school uniform once in the privacy of the second year girl's dormitory and pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, sticking her wand in its holster.

As she and Harry, joined by Daphne and Ron, trudged to the lake to meet Hermione, she wondered over Prudence's words. Was someone really out to kill her? Who would want her dead? A shiver ran up her spine. She did not like the thought of someone being out to kill her. She was only twelve for Merlin's sake! What sort of danger could she be to anyone?

* * *

"So . . . I heard you had a magical block on you. Is it true?"

Aria glanced up at Draco. The two were in the library a day later. Her friends were off trying to find reference books to help with the homework they had already been piled with, and she could not see Draco's usual cohorts anywhere.

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

Draco shrugged, readjusting his book bag.

"It's just . . . something that's not done in polite society," he answered.

"I would have thought I didn't qualify as polite society," Aria retorted. Draco's face turned pink, his lips turning into a deep frown. After a minute he reached into his bag and pulled out a white box.

"My mother sent me with these for you," he said, thrusting the box at Aria. She took it, almost expecting it to explode.

"I've never had the . . . pleasure . . . of meeting your mum," Aria said, cautiously opening the top a crack. "Why's she sending me . . . ." her mouth dropped open. Macaroons! A whole two dozen of them! And at least a half dozen of them were pistachio and another half dragonfruit.

"Mother wanted to properly thank you for saving my father and I this summer," Draco answered.

"I didn't do anything. It was all my dad."

"All the same. Besides, your dad wouldn't open a package from some unknown witch."

True. Aria bit into a purple macaroon. Lavender. Splendid!

"What are you doing?" Hermione demanded, startling Aria and Draco. "Where'd you get those?"

"Draco's mum," Aria answered.

"Well you aren't turning blue or anything yet," Harry said.

"I'm insulted that you'd think my mother would hex these macaroons she especially ordered for Aria," Draco snapped.

"Not her," Ron sneered. "You."

Aria bit into another macaroon. A hex would be worth eating these glorious sweets.

"Well she hasn't died yet," Hermione agreed.

"You're insufferable!" Draco cried, stomping away, earning a 'SH!' from Madam Pince.

"You guys were rude," Aria said. "We were having a pleasant conversation before you came in talking about hexes and all that. Would any of you like a macaroon?"

"And you call yourself a Slytherin," Ron muttered, but he took one of the dark chocolate macaroons anyway.

* * *

Aria had thought Harry and Ron had been joking when they had told her that Gildroy Lockhart was their new Defense Against the Dark Arts but she found him sitting behind the teacher's desk when she walked into her first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The man smiled at her, a full toothed smile that made her stomach feel queasy.

"You must to Aria Bourne," he cried.

"I suppose I am," she replied.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your first day being spent in the infirmary. Rest assured that if I had been there neither Madam Pomfrey or Healer Smith would have had to take twenty minutes of their time removing that block. I'd have had it done in a jiffy."

"Oh . . . okay." Aria slid into a seat beside Hermione who stared with wide adoring eyes at Professor Lockhart.

"I graded your quizzes from the other day," Professor Lockhart told the class. "It's safe to say that I will not be using that little pop quiz to start your grades for the year. Deplorable. Absolutely deplorable. Only Miss Granger managed a perfect score." He winked at Hermione making her blush. Aria turned to her friend, hoping the look on her face relayed how unimpressed she was about her behavior. Hermione only had eyes for Lockhart.

"Please pull out your copies of _Wandering with Werewolves_ and turn to the first chapter," Lockhart said. "We're going to go on an adventure!"

Aria all but ran out of the classroom when it was dismissed.

"Wasn't that the most wonderful class you've ever taken?" Hermione asked as she exited the room, Harry and Ron following after.

"No!" Aria cried. "That was by far the worse and Professor Quirrell's wasn't anything to rave about. Hermione, you can't seriously believe that was an hour of good education."

"No . . . his books aren't the most academic, but he does know what he's talking about."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Ron complained. "Bet he didn't half of what he says he did in the book. Probably just accidentally stumbled upon a werewolf or something."

"Ron, how can you say such a thing?" Hermione cried.

"Because, as your friend, it's my duty to point out when you're being ridiculous," Ron answered.

"It's all our duty," Aria stressed, linking arms with Hermione. "And—," she came to an halt, a bright flash momentarily blinding her and her friends. When her vision cleared she found a reedy boy with curly blond hair standing in front of her and her friends, a camera that looked like it had been brought out of the 1920s in his hands, and a grin on his face that made him look like a child at Christmas.

"Harry Potter?" the boy asked.

"Who are you?" Harry demanded. Aria glanced at the boy's school robe. A Gryffindor.

"I'm Colin! Colin Creevey. I've read about you. Loads and loads. Can I get another picture?"

"Handing out photos now are you, Potter?" Draco asked as he and his group strolled by.

"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry snapped. "And now, Colin, I really don't want my photo taken. I've got to get to class." He pushed past the first year and Aria hurried after him, hearing Ron and Hermione coming up behind.

"Sorry about him," Hermione said. "He's Muggleborn too. It's only the second day of school, I'm afraid he's really enthusiastic."

"Not unlike two other Muggleborns I know," Ron replied.

"Hey, at least we don't get into people's faces and take pictures," Aria retorted. "That's just rude."

"Just let him know I'm not one for fanfare," Harry told Hermione. "Please?"

They entered the potions classroom.

"Ah, now this is a truly academic class," Aria said to Hermione as they paired up. "Not at all like Lockhart's class."

"I should hope my class is much more informative than Lockhart's," Snape said, gliding past Aria, making her almost fall off her chair.

"Do you want to put me back into the hospital wing?" she muttered.

"I think you would make a much better DADA professor, Professor," Draco said.

"Indeed I would," Snape replied, throwing a piece of chalk at the board. It began to write down a potions recipe. "But, then again, even Professor Flitwick could be a better Defense professor than that celebrity."

"Told you," Aria said to Hermione. The girl stuck her tongue out at Aria.

"Miss Bourne, I'm glad to see you've returned to relative health," Snape said. "Do you have your summer homework?" Aria dug into her bag and pulled out her scroll, passing it into the waiting hands of her professor. Snape spun around, stalking towards his desk.

"Today is Double Potions," he said. "That means for the first hour you get to brew. The second hour will be discussing the potion you brewed and ways to correct it if you got it wrong. If you manage to explode anything you will lose points. Mr. Longbottom than means you."

Sniggers erupted from several students.

"That also means you, Misters Crabbe and Goyle. At least Longbottom has managed to make some potions. I've yet to see you two succeed."

Aria snickered into her robe sleeve as the two lumps glared at their professor who settled at his desk and unrolled her scroll. Neville looked town between being embarrassed or pleased at the professor's veiled compliment. He only straightened his shoulders and peered studiously at the board where the chalk was now dotting its last i and settling down.

The girls worked in sync, Aria chopping up the ingredients and Hermione adding them and stirring as Hermione was the best at timing when ingredients needed to be added, and Aria was best at preparing the ingredients. Aria chalked it down to the fact that she was always cooking with her dad and Hermione had even admitted once that she really did not like helping out in the kitchen, preferring to either get take-out or grill with her dad.

Their potion turned out relatively well, if not a bit too green for Professor Snape's taste. For the last hour of potions the girls attempted to figure out how to correct the coloring of the potion without losing any of the potency. They couldn't.

Homework became figuring out how to fix their potion, as was everyone else's homework as well. Ron grumbled the whole way.

"Our was just a little too thick," he moaned. "Just a little. Professor Snape said the potency wasn't ruined. Why do we need to fix it then?"

"Because it might not be safe on another potion?" Harry suggested.

"Stop being practical when I'm complaining!"

* * *

The weeks wore on.

Aria started seriously considering skipping Defense classes. It wasn't that watching Lockhart talk about his life wasn't interesting, sometimes it was, but many times she just felt uncomfortable in his class, like she was listening to a story that wasn't really his or that Lockhart's attention wasn't really on the stories he was telling them but on the students in the class. She couldn't pinpoint who exactly he was paying attention to, but it made the whole atmosphere uncomfortable and her magic was always on edge when she was in the classroom.

Herbology was almost more interesting this year. Their first project was repotting mandrakes which, supposedly when fully grown, could kill people with their cries. Only now they knocked people out for a few hours as it did with Neville and Seamus Finnegan because they got their earmuffs knocked partially off by Dean Thomas because they were fooling around. Madam Sprout had not been pleased though the resulting loss of 10 Gryffindor points was music to the ears of the Slytherins.

Aria had also made the acquaintance of Justin Finch-Fletchley, a Hufflepuff who had supposedly been accepted to Eton before receiving his acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Aria could believe it, he certainly spoke like someone who could afford Eton and just his last name sounded like some sort of old noble family though Justin assured her that his family wasn't nobility or from old money. His father had just made some really good investments.

But he was Muggleborn, which had gotten them chatting immediately, even though several of Justin's fellow housemates were giving Aria side glances, especially Zach Smith who was a pureblood and too nasty to be in Hufflepuff (but he was) and Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones who Aria knew as passing acquaintances.

"Is it hard being in Slytherin?" Justin asked her after class, joining her group of friends.

"Sometimes," Aria replied, "I suppose the teasing could be worse. It's mostly Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. Most of the older students just ignore me if they don't have to talk to me."

"What's it like living with Smith?" Theo asked Justin, coming up around the boy's other side. "His parents and mine are . . . business associates."

Justin missed the faces Aria and the others made as he turned to address Theo.

"He's . . . a character," Justin replied.

"You mean he's a purist?" Ron asked. "Not surprising. Though his family was neutral during the war."

"He hasn't come out and said it," Justin argued. "He just . . . hasn't been the most friendly. But I think most of the others in the house would tell him off he was actually mean to me."

"Probably," Daphne agreed. "I've overheard some of the older girls gush over how sweet and protective Cedric Diggory is of the underclassmen."

"Which one's that?" Aria asked.

"Copperish hair," Daphne explained, "sort of doesn't realize combs exist."

"Uh . . . ." Aria still couldn't picture the boy in her head. "You're gonna half to point him out to me later."

"Anyway if Smith gives you trouble you just curse him," Ron told Justin.

"I don't think cursing him is going to solve anything," Justin said.

"Which is why you're in Hufflepuff and we're in Slytherin," Theo said. "Oh, Blaise is calling for me. I'll catch up with you later." The boy raced off to join the Italian.

"Justin, do you want to study with us?" Aria asked. "I feel a boy who was bound for Eton would be a great asset to our grades and Hermione would certainly enjoy having someone as smart as her in the group."

Justin's face went red. "I wouldn't mind," he said, "but you're second highest in the year, Aria."

"Great! Meet us in the library after classes. We like to do a bit of homework before dinner. Saves us from doing it afterwards."

It turned out Justin Finch-Fletchley was astounding at the theory side of Charms which helped the group immensely as they began to their Charms homework. Hermione and Aria could grasp the concepts all right, their grades proved that, but Justin seemed to have an innate knowledge in understanding the concepts. Aria knew that inviting Justin to join their study group would be one of her best ideas yet.

* * *

She should have known that she would not get a normal school year.

A week after Justin joined their study group, the Aria, Harry, Ron, Justin, and Hermione were leaving the library for dinner when they passed section of corridor flooded. Splashing through they were forced to a stop when Hermione stopped short with a cry of horror.

"Hermione!" Harry cried.

"Look!" Hermione pointed at the wall. Aria yelped, stumbling closer to Ron. On the wall, written in what appeared to be blood, were the words:

 _THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPEN. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE!_

Beside the words hung a stiff and still Mrs. Norris, strung up by her tail.

"That's Mrs. Norris!" Ron cried. "Is she dead?"

"I don't know and I'm not sure I want to," Aria said, pushing her friends. "We need Snape! McGonagall! Sprout! _Someone_!" The children took off down the corridor towards the Great Hall where students were beginning to enter for dinner. The group shoved their way through a group of seventh year Ravenclaws, racing for the Head Table, shouting for Professor Snape who glared at them from his seat between McGonagall and Sprout.

"It's Mrs. Norris!" Aria cried. "We think she's dead."

"And that concerns me how?" Snape demanded.

"We think someone killed her!" Hermione cried, gasping for breath. "There's blood on the walls in words that say something about the Chamber of Secrets."

The professors all froze. Up and down the table each professor seemed to stop at the proclamation, even Dumbledore appeared stunned by the revelation. Then, with the loud scrape of chairs, the four Heads of House were on their feet.

"Show us," McGonagall ordered.

Back up on the second floor the students led their professors and curious students, towards their gruesome find. Aria watched as McGonagall and Sprout's faces went pale and Dumbledore's blue eyes lost their old-man twinkle and became cold and hard like ice.

"Prefects," Dumbledore finally said, "please escort the students back to dinner. I only wish for those who found Mrs. Norris to remain."

Students grumbled as the prefects pushed them back towards the Great Hall. Filch pushed his way through until he was with the group. Utter devastation came over his face when he spotted his cat. Aria almost felt sorry for him.

"She's dead!" Filch cried.

"Not at all," Sprout replied, voice shaking, but her words were clear and strong. "She's been petrified."

"Ah. If only I had been there to protect her!" Lockhart lamented.

"I have a group of immature mandrakes in the greenhouses," Sprout continued, ignoring Lockhart, patting Filch on the arm. "The second years have just repotted them. When they're fuller mature Professor Snape can make a potion that will unpetrify Mrs. Norris."

"So she'll be fine?" the man asked.

"But of course," Sprout replied.

"If you wish, Severus," Lockhart said, clapping the man on the shoulder, "I can help you brew the potion."

"No thank you," Snape hissed. "I will not be in need of your assistance."

"How did you five stumble upon this?" McGonagall asked.

"Did you petrify Mrs. Norris?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Really, Albus!" McGonagall cried, frowning at the headmaster. "Second years petrifying an animal? Even with Miss Bourne's exceptional magical core she wouldn't know the first think about petrifying!"

"We were coming back from the library," Justin piped up, "we were studying for your Transfiguration test, Professor McGonagall." The Deputy Headmistress gave the group a pleased smile.

"Then I expect you all to pass with flying colors," she told them.

"What is the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione asked.

"A vicious prank," Dumbledore replied. Sprout helped Filch take Mrs. Norris down. "I suggest you return to your evening meal."

Dismissal clear, the second years had no choice but to return to the whispers of the Great Hall, escorted by Flitwick who disappeared after ensuring the children were at their tables. It was clear the Heads of House and Headmaster Dumbledore were having a meeting. None of them returned to dinner even though most of the other professors did.

"This is beyond exciting!" Pansy declared once they returned to the Slytherin dorms.

"That Mrs. Norris won't be prowling after hours?" Daphne suggested. "Yes, very exciting."

"No," Pansy answered, "I mean now this school will be rid of all the filth that walk its hallways."

"So you're going home?" Aria asked, gaining a few titters from upper classmen.

"No, you are," Pansy replied.

"Really? Well until I'm told that by Headmaster Dumbledore I won't take you too seriously."

"You should," Daphne's sister Astoria piped up. "All of us Slytherins know about the Chamber of Secrets."

"Well you have three who don't," Ron said, motioning to himself, Harry and Aria. "And I'm certainly there's more Slytherins who don't know and just won't admit it."

"Astoria, you need to shut it," Daphne said. "Or I'll have Ginny prank you for me." Ron's sister perked up at this. Astoria rolled her eyes.

"So what is the Chamber of Secrets O-Knowledgeable-One?" Aria asked.

"It's a legendary chamber that Salazaar Slytherin supposedly built when Hogwarts was constructed," Theo explained. "It's location was unknown to even the other three founders. Slytherin supposedly sealed in a monster when he left Hogwarts. A monster that would cleanse Hogwarts of those unworthy of studying magic."

Aria felt her stomach tighten.

"I see you get his meaning," Pansy giggled. Daphne smacked her across the head.

"But only an heir of Slytherin can open it," Draco drawled from where he'd decided to lounge in an armchair, "and Slytherin's line died out a long time ago."

"Supposedly," Theo added.

"Supposedly," Draco agreed.

"So it could just be a prank," Harry said.

"Well . . . ." one of the seventh year boys elongated his words, "it could be. Or it could not be. Petrifaction is not an easy subject to master. It's only covered as theory for NEWTS. So if it is a prank, someone's gone through a lot of trouble and magical power to pull it off."

"I'd sleep with your wand," Pansy told Aria with a grin. Aria felt the urge to hit the girl in the nose, to make her look more pug-faced than she already did. "But if this isn't a prank, and there really is a Slytherin heir, your days are numbered. Mudblood."

A collective intake of air rippled around the common room. Ron hissed at Pansy, his lips curling into a snarl. He drew his wand, Aria reached out to stop him from throwing a curse, but someone got there before him.

" _Batego_!"

Ginny's cry startled everyone. Pansy screamed as bats, tiny little things, began dropping out of her nose like she had a cold. She sneezed, causing more bats to come out, flying around her head.

After several seconds the common room burst into laughter. Pansy shouted at everyone, shouting at them to stop, but when no one moved to help her, she raced off out of the common room, most likely to find Professor Snape.

"Way to go, Ginny!" Aria cried, throwing an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Who taught you that?"

"Fred and George."

"Of course. I should've guessed."

"Remind me never to mess with you," Daphne muttered, "Ron, your sister's a beast."

"Yeah she is!" Ron replied, folding his arms with a proud jut of his chin.

Ginny's face turned bright red, clashing horribly with her hair.


	10. The New Seeker

**Sorry for the long update between chapters 8 and 9. Hopefully now that my new job promotion has settled down I'll be able to get back to writing. No guarantees. I live in a tourist town and we're short staffed so AH!**

Pansy had been seeing trying to find her Head of House by several Hufflepuff students so now everyone knew that there had been a fight in the Slytherin common room. Whispers about the Heir of Slytherin were already going around, even after only twelve hours, and some were saying Pansy had angered the Heir.

"Well she certainly angered people," Aria agreed when Lavender Brown asked her about it. She was returning Transfiguration notes to Hermione that had gotten swept up into her school things. "Ginny Weasley's the one who cursed her." Percy and the twin's heads whipped around towards her at the mention of their sister. "Pansy was calling me names so Ginny cursed her."

"Never mess with a Weasley," Fred said sagely. "And pray tell, what was the awful pug calling you to rile up our sweet demur little sister so?"

"She called me a Mudblood," Aria answered. "It's certainly not the worst thing I've been called. I remember back in primary . . . what's the matter with you all?" All the Gryffindors within hearing range, and several eavesdropping Ravenclaws behind her had hissed and were now scowling towards the Slytherin table.

"Ginny should've hexed her into next week!" Fred cried.

"We haven't taught her that yet," George pointed out.

"I think you're all overreacting," Aria stated, "Ginny's hex should suffice for now."

"Aria," Percy said, voice soothing like he was speaking to an upset five year old, "she called you one of the most foul names in our society. It's not a term one hears in normal conversation."

"Oh." Aria shrugged. What else could she do?

"What does it mean exactly?" Hermione asked. Ever the curious one.

"It means dirty blood," Oliver said around Percy. "Usually in reference to Muggleborns. Occasionally halfbloods." He glanced at Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. Seamus already appeared to know what the term meant but Dean looked just as lost.

"Well . . . I guess it was only a matter of time before people started insulting me outright," Aria said. "I mean . . . Pansy already doesn't like me neither does Daphne's sister."

"I'm surprised you haven't had more incidents like that," Lavender muttered. "Everyone knows that until you arrived all Slytherins were just nasty bigots."

Aria made her way back to the Slytherin table.

"What did you tell the others?" Marcus Flint demanded. "They're glaring at us."

"I think they're glaring at Pansy," Aria said, "I told them about her calling me a Mudblood and they all got mad. Ginny, I think your brothers intend to teach you more hexes after your excellent performance last night." Ginny's released a face splitting grin before returning to her oatmeal with gusto.

"This house is being overrun with muggle-lovers," Astoria muttered.

"Astoria, you've been here a month," Daphne said, "you can't speak like that."

"I can speak however I want to. You're not the boss of me."

"And this is how we know you two are sisters," Blaise stated. Daphne glared at him.

Regardless of the attack on Aria, it appeared the rest of the school was certain a Slytherin was behind the message and petrifaction of Mrs. Norris and Aria, being a Slytherin, was lumped into the group regardless of the fact that she was a Muggleborn and therefore one of "the enemies of the heir." Over the course of the day she, Harry, Ron, and the other second years found themselves dodging several spells in the hallways on their way to class. Crabbe and Goyle weren't fast enough one time and both got hit with a Conjunctivitis jinx that sent them both to the infirmary. By the time they reached Transfiguration, Aria wasn't sure she would be able to concentrate on her test she was so shaken by the attacks. Professor McGonagall, bless her, appeared to notice that several of her top Slytherin students were out of sorts.

"What is the matter?" she demanded, staring at them over her spectacles with the long sheets of parchment that were their tests in her arms.

"People have been hexing us all day!" Aria cried.

"Yes, I heard about Misters Crabbe and Goyle."

"They probably deserved it," someone muttered. "Big bullies those two."

"Regardless, attacking other students is strictly prohibited," McGonagall warned them. "I will not tolerate such behavior from anyone. Points will be taken if I discover who is behind these hall attacks so you pass that along to your housemates." She handed out the tests, her lips pressed together in a tight frown.

Professor Snape was not pleased either. He called a house meeting after dinner. Apparently the second years weren't the only ones targeted, but the upper years had retaliated to the point that points had been taken from all four houses more than once for dueling in the corridors.

"You will go everyone in groups of three," Snape told them. "At least. You will all obey curfew. No exceptions. If you're on patrols as prefects you will report to me before you return to the dormitory. I have yet to lose a student. I do not intend to begin now."

"Does that imply other professors have lost students?" Aria asked Harry as their Head of House disappeared out of the room.

"Moaning Myrtle in the girl's second floor bathroom died as a student," Prudence said, scaring Aria off the sofa. Aria landed with a hard thump on the stone floor. "If you hang around her long enough you'll notice she's wearing a school uniform."

"How'd she die?" Ron asked.

"Probably cried herself to death," Prudence answered, flouncing away, clearly pleased at her ability to scare the younger students. Aria pushed herself up, brushing dust off her skirt. Prudence could be so rude!

"Attention Slytherins!" Marcus Flint cried, all but colliding with Prudence as he entered the common room. "We have an emergency."

"What sort of emergency," Prudence demanded, "could be so important that you come barging in and almost knock me over?" Marcus ignored her.

"Aiden's been hexed by a couple of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors," Marcus told them all. "He's in the hospital wing for at least two months."

"Shall we send him flowers?" Aria asked.

"You don't get it!" Marcus cried, slapping his forehead. "How can you not get it?"

"Aiden's our Seeker," Daphne reminded Aria. "Keep up would you?"

"What do you plan to do?" one of the Chasers, Luke Basington, asked. The remainder of the Quidditch team were now on their feet, distress written over their faces.

"We're going to have an emergency try-out," Marcus declared. "Tomorrow after classes. Second years and up."

"Second years?" Hillary Yarborough, the only girl on the team, questioned. "You're gonna let the second years try out? Look at them!" Everyone turned to look at the second years. Aria glanced at her year mates. They all glanced at each other before turning their eyes to Hillary.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Marcus said. Hillary huffed, glaring at the second years as if they had offended her. Aria turned her attention back to her homework. Beside her Ron and Theo were now whispering to each other about try-outs.

"You should try out, Harry," Ron suggested. Harry frowned.

"I don't think I'd be that good," he answered.

"I think I'm going to try out," Theo stated. "I'd much prefer to be a Chaser, but you can always re-try for a different position as they open up."

"I like playing Keeper when I play my brothers," Ron said. "I guess I'll have to use one of the school brooms. It's not like I can borrow the twins' brooms."

"They'd probably jinx them for the fun of it," Harry piped up.

"Are you going to try out?" Theo asked Harry.

"Dunno. Don't have my own broom. Didn't really occur to me to try out even though Quidditch is great to watch."

"You could probably just order yourself a broom," Ron said. "It's not like the Potters were penniless."

"Like you, Weasley?" Draco called over. Pansy laughed, stopping short when Ginny stood up from the side table she was seated at to glare across the common room at her. The movement, noticed by quite a few, caused snickers to travel around the room. Ron's face turned as red as his hair and he slouched in his seat.

"Being poor's nothing to be embarrassed about," Aria snapped at Draco. "Not everyone wants to live off grandpa while he's still alive."

Draco turned sharp eyes to her. Beside her Daphne scooted away from her a few inches. Even the snickers died away.

"I'd like to remind you that my grandfather is one of the governors who determines who gets scholarships and who doesn't," Draco hissed.

"And I'd like to remind you that your father owes me a Life Debt."

Draco drew his wand. Aria drew hers. The two faced off in front of the fireplace, wands pointed at each other. Marcus Flint grabbed their wand hands, shoving their wands down.

"You two are idiots!" he snapped. "Put your wands away or so help me I will get Professor Snape."

Aria tucked her wand back into its holster as did Draco, even if his movement was slower. Grabbing her books Aria turned one last time to flip Draco off before storming up to her bedroom, giving her school trunk a solid kick that only managed to make her toes hurt. Throwing her school things into her trunk she flung herself onto her bed, glaring at up at the ceiling.

* * *

Aria went down to the Quidditch pitch with her friends after classes the next afternoon to watch the try-outs, Hermione deciding at the last minute that she would join them. Some of the other Slytherins students who came to watch were not pleased.

"What if she goes and tells the Gryffindors our team's secrets?" someone demanded.

"I think you have more worry about Ron then Hermione," Daphne snapped, "seeing as Ron's brothers are on the Gryffindor team."

"Besides, I actually really don't know much about Quidditch besides the positions," Hermione said, "and who plays what isn't exactly a secret now is it?" She settled on a bench with a defiant flip of her bushy hair.

On the pitch Ron, Draco, Theo, and Harry gathered with those who were going to try out. Draco and Theo had their own brooms while Harry and Ron were, surprisingly, using the twins' brooms to tryout on. How Ron had convinced Fred and George to part with their beloved brooms was a mystery to Aria . . . .

Or maybe not. She frowned in the direction of one of the high-rise boxes saved for the professors and visitors during games, spotting two heads of red hair. As she stared up at them, a third appeared. So, the brothers were coming to watch Ron tryout? The twins were probably just making sure Ron and Harry didn't break their brooms.

Ginny plopped down on Aria's other side.

"How'd Ron get Fred and George to give him and Harry their brooms?" Aria asked. Ginny shrugged.

"Dunno. Probably blackmailed them or something."

"I would think the twins were un-blackmailable," Daphne said.

"That's not even a word," Hermione pointed out.

"Fred and George can be blackmailed," Ginny replied with a scrunch of her eyebrows, "but it usually involves information they don't want mum and dad to know. And I'm not certain I know of anything that mum and dad don't already know about them."

Marcus Flint began chatting with those trying out. One at a time each person rose into their air and was made to try and catch the snitch. A couple of times the rest of the Slytherin team went airborne and made the person dodge the quaffle while in pursuit of the snitch.

Ron didn't even catch the snitch. At one point he saw the quaffle coming for him and yanked his broom to the side, swiping the quaffle away in a move that was more Keeper than Seeker.

"Oi, Weasley!" Marcus shouted, "you're trying out for Seeker not Keeper!"

Even from the stands Aria could tell Ron's face was bright red.

From the professors' box a mighty cheer went up from Fred and George.

"Way to go, Ron!" one of them shouted. "Next Oliver Wood you are!"

"Someone go shut them up!" Marcus ordered. Immediately the Slytherin team shot off towards the redheads. The three older Weasleys immediately ducked into the stairwell while the Slytherins dismounted at the top and gave chase.

"Ginny, you should hex your brothers," Aria suggested.

"Ginny, you should _not_ hex your brothers," Hermione countered.

"Maybe they shouldn't spy on us," Astoria Greengrass muttered. Ginny's eyes widened.

"Hex my brothers?" she cried.

"Oh don't pull that innocent look," Daphne cried, "I'm sure you've hexed them loads of times."

"Beyond the Bat Bogey Hex, I don't know much more," Ginny admitted. "Yet."

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the scariest bit," Daphne said. "The yet."

The Slytherin team returned while the three older Weasleys could be seen making their way back to the castle. Aria hoped they weren't too hurt.

The afternoon try-outs ended when Flint finally ran out of drills to put all the Seeker hopefuls through. Everyone drudged back to the castle, chattering excitedly about everyone who had tried out, Flint promising to have someone picked by tomorrow morning.

"Who do you thinks going to get chosen?" Aria asked Daphne.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think Draco did well," Daphne answered. "Though that fifth year . . . Doyle Fredricks . . . did well too. Flint might go with him since he's got a bit more experience than Draco."

But the next morning Flint did not make an announcement. His decision did not come until later the next evening at dinner carrying several long packages which he began handing out to the Quidditch player, stopping lastly at Draco.

"You're on the team," Flint growled, thrusting the package at the blonde. "Don't make me regret it."

Hillary Yarborough was the first to finish opening her package, eliciting a gasp.

"A Nimbus 2001!" she cried. Almost every head in the Great Hall turned to the Slytherin table. The rest of the Quidditch players finished yanking open their packages, revealing that they too had received a sleek black Nimbus 2001.

"New team brooms," Flint declared, smiling over at Oliver Wood who's eyes had widened to the point Aria was afraid they would fall out of his head. "A gift. From a very generous Slytherin alumni."

"I wonder who," Ron muttered, glaring at Draco.

"Don't look at me, Weasley," Draco snapped. "I'm just as surprised as you are." Indeed, he eyed the new broom with a look of reference, running his fingers over the handle and bristles. "Not that I'm going to complain. I'll show you that I deserve to be on the team."

"You better," Daphne warned, pointing her fork at him. "You're going to be the youngest Seeker at the school. People are going to go after you first."

"Watch me and weep," Draco said.

"You tell them!" Pansy cried, batting her eyes at Draco. Aria pretended to gag, creating laughter down their half the table.

"We're going to go flying immediately after dinner," Marcus declared. "Test out our new brooms."

"Are they are brooms are team brooms?" someone asked.

"Ours," Marcus replied. "I've been assured that . . . so long as our Seeker is a student here at Hogwarts the brooms will come for each new team member as others graduate."

This time excited whispers from everyone else went up and down the table.


	11. Petrification

**Thank you all for keeping up with** ** _The Muggleborn Slytherin_** **series. I'm so sorry it's been months since I last wrote. Life has been hectic what with attending graduate school (Masters of Divinity) full time and working as a marketing director for the YMCA full time. CRAZY! Anyway, hopefully I'll get back to regular updates (crossing fingers) and I don't own Harry Potter.**

The first Slytherin Quidditch game of the season was against Gryffindor. Aria had a feeling Madam Hooch liked getting the Slytherin-Gryffindor games out of the way because those had the most bloodshed.

"I hope Draco can actually catch the Snitch," Ron muttered as he, Aria, and Harry followed the rest of their house into their stands. Hermione would not be joining them during this game. "Good brooms do not replace talent."

"As proven by the Chudley Canons," Theo threw over his shoulder.

"Shut up!" Ron snapped. They settled in the front row. Aria gave her little Slytherin flag a wave and silver sparks erupted from the tip. Prudence and Martin had collaborated to make these flags in honor of the first Slytherin Quidditch game though Daphne was under the impression that quidditch flags were not the only thing Prudence and Martin were collaborating on.

Lee Jordan introduced the teams in his usual way with sarcastic comments and Professor McGonagall in the background reprimanding him.

"Why do they let Lee keep commentating even though McGonagall always gets mad at him?" Aria wondered aloud.

"Probably 'cause he's the only person who can tell the twins apart," Ron muttered. "I can never do it. Neither can Mum and she birthed them!"

"Look who's sitting next to Professor Snape," Harry said, handing his Quidditch glasses to Aria.

"Where'd you get Quidditch glasses?" she asked.

"At Diagon Alley. I found them in Ditto's Second Hand."

Aria peered through them in towards the professors' box where Lucius Malfoy sat between Professor Snape and Lord Abraxas Malfoy.

"I think I'll just . . . make myself scarce after the game," Aria said. "I got the feeling Lord Malfoy didn't really like me when I met him."

"He wouldn't," Ron answered. "'sides, he can't harm you here. None of the professors would allow it."

Madam Hooch released the Snitch and tossed up the Quaffle. Marcus managed to snatch it up first before any Gryffindors and shot off towards Oliver Wood. Aria snatched the Quidditch glasses from Harry again, this time panning the Gryffindor stands for Percy who rarely ever came to games but she wondered if he'd come for his secret boyfriend. As far as she could tell they were still together and no one except herself and Hermione might even know about it! She found him on the edge of the crowd with a closed book in his lap, eyes focused on the Keeper.

Aria tried to squash down the feeling of jealousy that came in her stomach. Thrusting the Quidditch glasses at Harry she cheered and waved her Quidditch flag as Marcus managed to just score around Oliver's outstretched hand. Multiple silver sparks erupted from the dozen of Quidditch flags in the Slytherin stands, causing the Ravenclaws to gasp in awe at the display as they were the closes house to the Slytherins.

Angelia Johnson, a dark-skinned beauty, who was also one of the most terrifying Chasers Aria had ever seen in the whole school, managed to get the Quaffle past the Slytherin Keeper within five minutes after that. Immediately the game turned ugly with several penalties being called on both sides and more goals made.

"Draco better find the Snitch soon or Madam Hooch is going to have to remove someone in a body bag," Harry stated as Marcus ducked a Bludger sent his way by one of the Weasley twins. It swung close to the Slytherin stands.

"Oi!" Ron shouted at his brothers. "Watch where you hit that!" The Bludger zoomed back towards the Slytherins, this time unaided by the Weasley twins or the Slytherin Beaters. The Slytherins screamed and dove out of the way, creating several piles of students while the Bludger tore through the wooden stands.

"I think we've gotta move!" Harry cried as the Bludger returned the way it came, turned in the air, and started back towards the stands, heading straight for Aria and her friends. Just before it hit them, Fred Weasley appeared, hitting the Bludger with all his might out of the way. Cheers from some of the Slytherins went up only to die as the Bludger shot back, knocking Fred off his broom and into the Slytherin stands.

" _Move_!" Harry shouted, shoving Aria and Ron into the stairwell of the stands. They started down, the rest of Slytherin pushing and shoving to follow them.

The whole of Slytherin House emptied onto the field from the two stairwells on either side of their section of stands. Madam Hooch blew the whistle. George Weasley flew to his twin while the Slytherin Beaters went after the rogue Bludger which was intent on following Aria and her friends.

"Why is it always us?" Aria shouted as they barely managed to not get knocked over by it. She pulled out her wand.

" _Finite Incantatem_!" she shouted. Her spell missed the Bludger and she felt it whiz by her as she dodged to the side.

" _Finite Incantatem_!" this time the shout came from Draco who zoomed after the Bludger on his broom. The Bludger turned around midair and came back towards Aria, Harry, and Ron. Draco attempted to steer out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough. The Bludger slammed into his shoulder and he went flying off the broom on top of Aria. Both screamed. Aria landed hard on her elbow and she felt something snap. She screamed again.

" _Reducto_!" Marcus shouted. His spell hit the Bludger, blasting it to smithereens.

"Are you two alive?" Harry asked, carefully moving Draco off of Aria. She and Draco sat there, holding their respective broken limbs. Aria had no qualms about letting the tears roll down her cheeks, though it appeared Draco was doing his best to remain stoic. The rest of Slytherin gathered around them.

"We should get them to Madam Pomfrey," Ron said.

"You should get your brother to Madam Pomfrey," Prudence told Ron, nodding in the direction of the Gryffindor Quidditch team where they were in the Slytherin stands around Fred.

"Let me through!" Lockhart cried, pushing through the crowd of students. "I can help."

"I'd rather see Madam Pomfrey," Draco stated.

"Me too," Aria agreed. There was no ways she was letting that man get anywhere near her injury, regardless of how amazing his exploits sounded in his books. She would rather have Hermione fix her up!

"Nonsense!" Lockhart cried, kneeling down beside them. "You're both in pain and don't know what you're saying."

"Sir, we should get them to Madam Pomfrey," Marcus stated. Lockhart pulled his wand out, pointing it at Draco's obviously dislocated and possibly broken shoulder.

" _Brackium Emendo_."

Aria's eyes widened at seeing Draco's arm go limp.

"Well . . . ." Lockhart muttered, lifting Draco's arm which had no bone anymore. "It's clearly not broken."

"There's no bones left!" Aria cried. "Harry, help me up." Harry helped her to her feet. She pressed her broken arm to her side while she grabbed Draco by his Quidditch robes and yanked him to his feet. "Don't you touch me!"

"Now, Miss Bourne—,"

Aria yanked Draco away from the DADA professor, Harry and several older Slytherins blocking the DADA professor from their getaway. Aria dragged Draco from the crowd and was relieved to see Professor Snape and Lucius Malfoy stalked ahead of a crowd of teachers and spectators.

"Professor Snape!" Arai shouted, still yanking at Draco. "Help!" Professor Snape stopped short as they approached.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Lockhart vanished my bones!" Draco cried. "And I landed on Aria and I think her arm's broken."

"I'm so sorry, Professor," Marcus cried, jogging up to them. "Both Malfoy and Bourne insisted on seeing Madam Pomfrey, but Lockhart refused to listen. I think he would've done the same to Bourne's if she hadn't taken off."

Snape waved his wand, immobilizing and numbing Aria's arm while Lucius inspected his son's boneless arm.

"I have half a mind to ask Lockhart for a duel," Lucius muttered.

"Would you?" Draco asked.

"What happened here?" Lord Malfoy demanded, appearing at his son and grandson's side.

"An incompetent Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Lucius replied. "Severus, if you would take care of the fool I shall escort my son and Miss Bourne to the infirmary."

* * *

"You should have come straight to me!" Madam Pomfrey huffed, settling Draco and Aria onto beds. "I can mend bones in a second but growing them back . . . ."

"You will be able to thought, won't you?" Aria asked. "He's not going to be . . . boneless will he?"

"Of course not," Pomfrey cried. "It'll just be painful." She summoned two bottles, one labeled SKELE-GROW and one labeled SKELE-MEND. She set Draco's floppy arm in a sling and then gave him a dose of Skele-Grow.

"If you'll settle your son in for the night," Pomfrey suggested to Lucius, "I'll get to Miss Bourne and Mr. Weasley." Fred Weasley moaned from his spot on another bed.

With a wave of her wand, Madam Pomfrey had Aria's broken elbow set and slung and she was given a dose of the Skele-Mend. She was given strict instructions not to move from the bed while the mediwitch went over to a still groaning Fred Weasley. Aria turned her attention back to Draco who was already beginning to become paler than normal.

"Are you going to be sick?" she asked. Draco shook his head.

"Skele-Grow is not the most pleasant of potions," Lucius told her. "One cannot take a pain-relieving potion until thirty minutes afterwards so that the potions do not interact negatively with each other."

"Wow," Aria cried, "you're not friends with Professor Snape or anything are you?" Lucius Malfoy sent her an amused look while Lord Malfoy glared at her.

Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Headmaster Dumbledore appeared in the infirmary. Lord Malfoy's attention snapped towards them.

"I hope that oaf of a Defense teacher has been sacked," Lord Malfoy stated. Aria perked up hoping the same thing. Maybe then they would actually get a real DADA professor and Hermione would stop mooning over Lockhart.

"Now, Abraxas," Dumbledore soothed, "don't be too hasty. I'm certain Professor Lockhart did not mean to de-bone your grandson's arm."

"Regardless of whether or not he meant to does not negate the fact that he did," the lord snapped. "I want him out of this school immediately!"

"And who will teach the students then? No, no, Lord Malfoy. If you desire to have Lockhart replaced the governors will have to put forward a slate of candidates."

"You can be sure we will," Lord Malfoy said. "And he will be lucky if I don't press charges against him."

"How are you feeling, Mr. Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Fine," Draco managed to say. Sweat was appearing on the sides of his forehead and Aria could almost see him clenching his teeth.

"And you'll be better soon," Madam Pomfrey stated, bustling over with a pain reliever. "You can now take this, Mr. Malfoy. But you are in for a long night here." She turned her attention to Lucius. "Will you be spending the night?"

"We cannot," Lord Malfoy stated. Lucius' mouth shut with a click. "If you can promise to keep incompetent buffoons like Lockhart out of your infirmary then I see no reason why we should stay. Your medical skills are . . . acceptable."

"Your trust in my skills is appreciated," Madam Pomfrey said, though Aria thought she detected a tinge of sarcasm in the stern woman's voice.

"And if Lockhart should appear," the lord continued, "do use your dueling skills. I hope you haven't given all that up in the name of healing." He waved to his son with a hand and the two Malfoys stalked out of the infirmary.

"You dueled?" Fred Weasley asked from his bed. "That's wicked, Madam Pomfrey."

"Yes . . . well . . . Abraxas Malfoy should remember my dueling skills," the mediwitch said, her face turning pink and her voice becoming all flustered. McGonagall snorted, a smirk crossing her face. Dumbledore meandered over to Fred and asked him how he was doing.

"Did you duel Lord Malfoy once?" Aria asked.

"Down a flight of stairs," McGonagall said. "The three of us had several years overlap here at Hogwarts. Their . . . duel is one reason why I am so strict about no spells in the corridors."

"Bet you won," Aria cried.

"I wouldn't want to brag," Pomfrey said, tucking Draco in.

"Please, brag," McGonagall encouraged. All the students in the infirmary nodded their heads, even Draco who looked more than eager to hear about this duel his grandfather had been in and lost.

"This is hardly setting an example for the students," Snape finally interjected. "You will be putting ideas in both Bourne and Malfoy's heads. Let alone Mr. Weasley's!" He glanced over at the red head who was now talking to Dumbledore about jelly beans. "These two are already threatening to duel each other in the common room. I don't need them doing so on the dungeon stairs."

"We'd never do such a thing," Aria insisted. "Right, Malfoy?"

Draco grunted.

"See? We're perfectly well behaved students, Professor Snape. Best behaved Slytherins you've got."

Madam Pomfrey took hold of Aria's arm and examined it.

"Keep it in the sling until tonight when you go to bed," Madam Pomfrey instructed her. "You should be good as new tomorrow. If you're in pain let Professor Snape know. He knows how to dose correctly. You can go."

"But I was hoping to keep Malfoy company."

"Because you're the most well behaved Slytherins right? That's like telling me the Weasley twins are not pranksters. Go."

Aria grumbled as she climbed off the bed and left the infirmary. She found her friends and the two Quidditch teams waiting outside the infirmary.

"I think Fred's dead," she told them.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Percy scolded her.

"The look on Wood's face was worth it." Oliver Wood glared at her while George Weasley led the Weasley Charge into the infirmary followed by the Gryffindor Quidditch team, leaving only Slytherins in the corridor.

"If only the Weasleys were out of commission," Marcus Flint complained, "they're the best Beaters the school's got!"

"Hey!" The Slytherin Beaters cried.

"Can't argue with the truth," Hillary Yarborough said. "He's not saying you're awful you two, he's just stating a fact. The Weasley twins are the best Beater at Hogwarts. It's an unfortunate trait that the Weasleys are good at Quidditch."

"Percy's good at Quidditch?" Hermione asked not having followed the rest of the Gryffindors into the infirmary, opting to stay by Aria's side..

"All but one," Hillary corrected herself. "I expect Ron and Ginny, as Slytherins, will eventually be able to offset the Gryffindor imbalance of Weasleys." The Slytherins decided not to wait around any longer and started towards the Great Hall, only to stumble upon a flooded hallway.

"Damn Moaning Myrtle!" Flint muttered. "She's flooded the bathroom again."

"Wonder what upset her this time," Hillary said as they students began picking their way across the water. "I mean—,"

Marcus stumbled back, his arms going out as if to shield the rest of the Slytherins and Hermione with him from a danger. Aria peaked around his arm, eyes going wide once again seeing the still form of a student on the ground.

"That's Colin Creevey!" Hermione cried from where she was peaking under Marcus' arm. "I'd recognize that camera anywhere!"

"Is that his name?" Hillary questioned as the group inched towards his still form. "Why he going around and taking pictures?"

"He's Muggleborn," Hermione explained. "Wants to send as many pictures home to prove this all exists."

"He's been petrified," Marcus stated. The older students drew their wands. The younger students did too. Harry inched closer to Aria and Hermione. "We're heading back to the infirmary."

The professors were just leaving as they arrived back. Marcus immediately told them what had happened and they were ushered into the infirmary with strict instructions not to leave until a professor could escort them back to their dormitories. Madam Pomfrey settled them into a corner before hurrying after the remainder of the professors. The group of adults returned with Colin on a stretcher fifteen minutes later.

"Do you think he got a picture of his attacker?" Hermione asked as they settled the boy on a cot. Dumbledore managed to pry the camera from the boy's hands and popped open the back of the camera, only to have the film within spark and burst into a quick flame, sending smoke into the air. McGonagall gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in horror. Snape whirled about to the students.

"I will take my Slytherins," he barked, "Miss Granger, you will remain with your Head of House. Weasleys, you too. Ronald. Ginevra. Come."

Ron and Ginny joined the Slytherins as they followed their Head of House out of the infirmary.

"Keep your wands out," Snape ordered as they travelled across Hogwarts.

"Professor, what is going on?" Harry questioned. "Are we safe?"

"You will be safe," Professor Snape stated. "As long as you listen to me and don't make foolish decisions.

"Is Aria safe?" Harry asked. Snape whirled about and the group came to a halt.

"I mean," Harry continued, "first Mrs. Norris with that terrible message and now Colin Creevey who is a Muggleborn. Is Aria safe or not?"

Aria took Harry's hand in her own, a warm fuzzy feeling bubbling in her chest, chasing away some of the fear that had settled on her. Ron wrapped his arm around her wand arm as her other hand was busy clenching her wand.

"Miss Bourne is under my protection, Mr. Potter," Snape finally said. "As if every student in this school. Is that sufficient?"

Harry and Ron nodded, though their grip on Aria's hand tightened anyway. Aria squeezed Harry's hand as they finally reached their common room and Professor Snape began calling for a house meeting. As Professor Snape began to explain the situation, she became aware of more and more of her housemates glancing her way. Pansy had a smirk coming across her face and she thought she saw several older students' mouths twitch upward as if they too wanted to smirk at her expense. Fear settled in her stomach, making it clench and her to feel nauseous.

Someone was after the muggleborns, Aria thought, and there was a good chance they were in Slytherin.


	12. Dueling Club Surprises

**I do not own Harry Potter. I appreciate everyone's patience as I know I haven't updated in a long while. As we all know, life happens, and grad school and a second job have all contributed to me not being able to write. However, hopefully that will change soon and this long awaited update will hopefully sate your desires for the story's continuation.**

Everyone had heard about Colin by breakfast the next morning. Dozens of students glanced at the Slytherin table with distrust and made no secret of whispering while pointing at various students, as if chattering about which Slytherin could possibly be the heir of Slytherin, the only one who could open the Chamber of Secrets if the legends were to be believed. It certainly didn't help that a group of Slytherins had discovered the body, even though Hermione had been with them.

"People are going to be stupid no matter what," Marcus snapped at several people after they had grumbled at the breakfast table. "And you all know we're the scapegoats for everything."

However, it appeared not everyone was taking seriously the heir of Slytherin rumors as Fred and George loudly proclaimed that _clearly_ Ron was the heir because the Weasleys were _obviously_ decedents of a dark wizard like Salazaar Slytherin. Several students laughed and Ron glared at his brothers. Percy smacked his brothers across the back of their heads.

The day was made worse when Aria and her friends walked into DADA and discovered that Lockhart was still the professor. Aria almost turned around and left, however, the man flicked his wand and closed the classroom door, forcing everyone to take their seats and open _Year with the Yeti_.

"Professor," Harry interrupted the man halfway through his dramatic reading of chapter five, "how are you as Defense professor, going to help us stay safe with all these attacks happening?" Lockhart paused, surprise written all over his face before it disappeared behind his ever cheesy, ever gleaming white smile.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked.

"How are you going to help us stay safe?" Harry repeated. "There are attacks happening to Muggleborns. You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. How are you going to help us?" Hermione glared at Harry, miffed at him interrupting the dramatic reading. Aria was glad for the reprieve. The book read like the trashy five pound romance books Melinda read that she got at the local gas station.

"Well I'm reading to you from my books," Lockhart replied.

"Yes," Harry answered, "but this teaches us how to deal with a yeti and I don't expect a yeti to come through these hallways. Though you never know, last year we had a troll."

"A troll?"

"Yes, a troll."

Lockhart continued to gape for a minute. Finally he said, "As no one knows what exactly is petrifying the students it would be difficult to teach you specifics. However, I can teach you general knowledge which is what I'm currently doing if you continue to listen and read my books." He cleared his throat, postured about a bit, and then continued reading. Aria glanced over her shoulder at Harry who was now introducing Ron to tic-tac-toe. She glared at Hermione, wishing the girl would, for once, be more interested in passing notes or doodling games than in Lockhart. Except . . . she looked closer at Hermione's notes. She was doodling!

"Are those _hearts_ dotting your Is?" she whispered. Hermione's face turned bright red.

"I expect you'd do the same if you had a crush on someone," her friend whispered back. Aria opened her mouth to retort, but realized that she would most likely be lying because she had doodled once or twice her name with a heart over her I when thinking about Percy . . . .

"At least I have better taste with my men," she told Hermione.

"So you still like . . . ." Hermione jerked her head in Ron's direction, "his brother?"

Aria's face warmed and Hermione smirked, going back to her heart doodling.

After the bell rang Aria pulled Hermione ahead of their friends.

"How did you know I liked Percy?" Aria asked.

"Oh please. I'm your best friend," Hermione said, "I know everything about you. Almost." The girls grinned at each other. "But seriously, isn't he gay?"

"He could like both boys and girls," Aria cried, "we don't know that."

"He's also sixteen and you're not even a teenager yet."

"Age is only a number, Hermione, and it'd only be a problem when he's legally an adult."

"Still, isn't he still dating . . . what's his name? Oliver?"

"Who's dating Oliver?" the girls came up short, almost colliding with the Weasley twins who gave them identical smiles.

"Oh famous Quidditch captain is dating?" Fred, or maybe George, asked. "Who is it?"

"You two don't know?" Aria cried. "I thought you knew everything."

"What a flatterer!"

"Absolutely, brother mine."

"However . . . ."

"We don't know . . . ."

"Everything."

Aria and Hermione rolled their eyes at the twins antics.

"If you really want to know who Oliver is or was dating, you should go pester him," Hermione stated, pushing past the twins. "Aria and I have better things to do than gossip in the hallways with you."

"Now you're just being cruel!" the twins cried.

Aria and Hermione linked arms and marched off down the hallway.

* * *

The twins had obviously taken Hermione's instruction to heart as the next day he all but accosted Aria and Hermione in the library, grabbing them by the collars of their robes and dragging them to a more secluded area of the book stacks.

"What have you been telling the twins?" he demanded to them, voice a harsh whisper.

"About what?" Aria questioned.

"Don't be an ass," Oliver snapped. "About me dating?"

"They happened to overhear us in the corridor between classes," Hermione answered, smoothing her robes out with a glare at her housemate. "When we realized they were completely unaware of your love life we simply told them to pester you about it and not us."

"Who said I had a love life? Who have you been talking to? Is Flint spreading rumors about me?"

"No one told us anything," Aria answered. "It was clear the way you were kissing Percy in the alcove last year and how you were studying him in the library instead of whatever schoolwork you had."

Oliver shushed her, glancing around and even peering around the bookshelves to make sure they were alone.

"What's the big deal?" Hermione asked. "Is . . . is being gay not acceptable in the wizarding world? It's becoming more accepted in the Muggle world."

"It's fine here," Oliver assured her, "it's not that. Per—he just doesn't want people to know. You know how shy he can be and what terrors Fred and George are."

"Well, sorry that we let part of the cat out of the bag," Hermione muttered. Oliver sighed.

"At least they don't know the full story," he said. "Just . . . don't tell anyone. All right? Or I'll drop you off the Quidditch stands."

Aria and Hermione nodded vigorously and Oliver pushed past them. Aria shared a look with Hermione.

"Did you see how red his face got when you told him about seeing him kissing?" Hermione asked. Aria nodded and they burst into giggles, covering their mouths as Madam Pince appeared at the end of the aisle to shush them.

When Aria arrived back in the common room she found a large group around the announcement bulletin board.

"What's happening?" she asked Daphne.

"Professor Lockhart is starting a Dueling Club," Daphne told her.

"Can he actually duel? I mean, he sort of dueled the yeti but I think the avalanche had more to do with defeating the creature than any spell of his."

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow after classes. That's when the first meeting will be held."

* * *

The Great Hall had been transformed.

The tables had been stacked neatly against the walls, the benches piled on top, and a long platform took center stage where the center aisle between the tables usually was. Aria, Hermione, Ron, and Harry pushed to the front so that they stood up against the platform. Seamus and Dean from Gryffindor joined them.

"This is exciting!" Seamus cried, winking at Aria. She rolled her eyes.

"Think we'll actually be able to shoot spells at people?" Dean asked.

"I hope so," Ron said. "Maybe I'll be able to hit Fred or George with something." The second years glanced down the platform where the two troublemaking fourth years were holding court with several of the Gryffindor Quidditch team members.

"Good afternoon, students!" Professor Lockhart cried, appearing on the platform wearing a stylish cornflower blue dueling uniform, cape and all. "Due to recent terrible events the Headmaster has asked that I instruct you in the ways of dueling. I am, after all, a First Degree Master Duelist." He removed his cape with a flourish, tossing it into the crowd of students where it landed within a group of sixth year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw girls who giggled and awed over the cloak.

"Allow me to introduce you to me assistant for today," Lockhart continued, "Professor Snape!" Aria cheered as her Head of House climbed onto the platform, looking intimidating in his usual black robes with many buttons and a fiercer scowl than Aria had ever seen on his face as he stared down Lockhart.

"He does not look pleased," Ron stated.

"Is it because Lockhart's going to beat him?" Seamus asked.

"Excuse me?" Aria cried. "What sort of remark is that?"

"Professor Snape and I will show you a short duel," Lockhart continued, "never fear, I won't harm your precious Potions Master _too badly_."

Aria scoffed as did most of Slytherin house.

The two professors met each other at the center of the platform, saluted with their wands, and then turned their backs and marked fifteen paces down the platform before turning to once again face each other.

"On the count of three," Lockhart stated, "one . . . two . . . three!"

" _Expelliarmus_!" Snape shouted, his wand waving quickly, wrist snapping sharply so that his wand pointed with precision at Lockhart. A bolt of red light erupted from Snape's wand and hit Lockhart in the chest, sending him and his wand flying.

Aria burst out laughing.

"Don't laugh at him!" Lavender Brown cried from behind Aria. "What if he's hurt?"

"Thank you, Severus," Lockhart said, collecting his wand and smiling tightly at the potions master. "But it was pretty obvious what you were going to do. I could have blocked you at any time."

"Clearly," Snape drawled. "I suggest the students partner and begin practicing their shield and disarming spells."

"Right. Er . . . right!" Lockhart spun around and began pairing up the students on one side of the platform. Snape rolled his eyes and began doing same to the students on Aria's side of the platform.

She found herself partnered with Pansy. She just managed to catch Snape's gaze long enough to glare at him. He turned away with what she thought might have been a smirk.

"Disarming _only_!" Snape warned the students. "Anyone caught using anything else will receive detention with me and severe point loss." Aria and Pansy pointed their wands at each other.

" _Expelliarmus_!" Aria shouted, snapping her wrist like Snape had done. Pansy yelped as her wand attempted to fly out of her hand, but she just barely managed to keep a hold of it. Pansy sneered.

"Is that the best you can do?" she questioned.

"If you can do better than do it," Aria retorted, bracing herself for Pansy's spell. Pansy grinned and a sudden feeling of foreboding filled Aria. She tightened her grip on her wand. Pansy pointed her wand . . . .

Years later Aria would still never be able to recall what exactly Pansy had shouted, all she would be able to recall was the surprise and terror of seeing a snake shoot out from the tip of Pansy's wand and fly straight at her.

Aria screamed as she backpedaled away from the incoming snake, only to trip over her own feet onto her butt, the snake landing in her lap with an angry hiss and flare of its hood. Aria immediately froze, not daring to move as her eyes locked onto the swaying head of the King Cobra. She could remember watching a video in primary about the cobra and snake charmers, and learning how venomous they were. What the hell had Pansy done?

Frantic hissing reached Aria's ears and she noticed the snake pause in its rearing. The snake's head whipped around to Harry who stood a few feet off, wand pointed at the snake, but clearly not ready to shoot a spell. Aria hoped he didn't shoot off a spell she was too close to the snake. Instead, Harry continued to hiss at the snake and the cobra's hood slowly disappeared and it carefully slithered off of Aria, wrapping itself together as if it were going to go to sleep. It flicked its tongue at Harry before resting its head down.

A sharp shout from Professor Snape and the snake dissolved into the air. Aria released a huge breath of air and allowed herself to flop back onto her back to stare up at the Great Hall's ceiling which depicted the fading sun of the day. Harry appeared in her line of vision.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "It didn't bite you did it?"

"No," Aria whispered, feeling her body begin to tremble.

"Potter, what are you playing at?"

Aria pushed herself into a sitting position to stare at her Hufflepuff year mate Zacharias Smith as he glared at Harry. Smith never appeared to be happy with anyone and Aria sometimes wondered how he had managed to get into the hardworking and loyal house when neither appeared to be his strong attributes. Only now did she realized that the whole Great Hall was staring at Harry, many students with pale faces and wide eyes. Even Lockhart and Snape appeared unsure how to proceed.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"You spoke to the snake!"

"Well of course I did," Harry replied with a non-too-concealed tone of exasperation, as if he were speaking with an annoying toddler, "I couldn't very well send a spell now could I? I might have hit Aria."

"But you spoke to the snake!" Smith repeated.

"Yes, I did," Harry agreed. "Your observational skills are astounding. Perhaps you could use it in charms class?"

"And I'm forever grateful," Aria piped up, her voice shaking. She accepted Hermione's help to her feet. "Thanks, Harry."

"You're welcome," Harry replied.

"But I will admit," Aria continued, thinking back over the last minute, "you were sort of hissing at the snake."

"Hissing?" Harry questioned. "Aria, I told it to get away from you."

"I believe you," Aria assured him, "but it did sound like hissing to me. Perhaps that's what has Smith's knickers in a twist." Harry glanced at Hermione who nodded her head in confirmation. He then turned to Professor Snape who merely pinched his lips together in a frown.

"I thought it sounded like plain English," Harry stated. "Either way, if I hadn't spoken to it, it may have bitten you."

"It did sound like hissing, mate," Ron said as the students began whispering to each other. "But that's probably because the rest of us are Parselmouths."

"Parsel what?" Harry asked.

"Parselmouths. People who can speak Parseltongue? Snake language?"

"Oh. Is it something rare? I thought loads of wizards and witches could do it."

"It's rare," Hermione assured him. "And . . . the last known Parselmouth was Salazaar Slytherin."

Aria threw back her head and groaned as all the dots got connected. People were now probably going to think Harry was the Heir of Slytherin that went about petrifying people and cats.

"I can just imagine walking to class is going to get much more complicated," she whined.


End file.
